Phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression predicts poor prognosis of Chinese patients with gastric cancer

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) Vol. 31; no. 12; p. 141
• Main Authors: Deng, Wen-ying, Li, Ning, Wan, Xiang-bin, Luo, Su-xia, Zhang, You-wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Original Paper; Pathology; Phosphorylation - physiology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; PTEN Phosphohydrolase - biosynthesis; PTEN Phosphohydrolase - genetics; Receptors, Somatomedin - biosynthesis; Receptors, Somatomedin - genetics; Stomach Neoplasms - diagnosis; Stomach Neoplasms - genetics; Stomach Neoplasms - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; PTEN; Prognosis; Gastric cancer; p-IGF1R
• ISSN: 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12032-014-0141-2

Previous studies have established the role of phosphorylated form of insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (p-IGF1R) as a good candidate for tumor biomarker. The aims of this study were to investigate p-IGF1R expression status in gastric cancer (GC) specimens and to clarify its clinical significance. A total of 78 GC patients treated with radical resection were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect p-IGF1R and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) protein expression in paired tumor and adjacent normal tissues. Results showed a higher level of p-IGF1R protein expression in tumor tissues than that in normal tissues, and the rate of p-IGF1R protein high/moderate expression in GC and normal tissues was 52.6 % (41/78) and 6.4 % (5/78), respectively ( p  < 0.001). In contrast, PTEN protein expression was downregulated in GC, as compared with normal tissues (negative/low expression 49/78 vs. 8/78, p  < 0.001). Moreover, PTEN protein downregulation was consistent with p-IGF1R upregulation. Overexpression of p-IGF1R protein was associated with lymph metastasis, clinical stage, and adverse 3-year progression-free survival (PFS). Survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model revealed that p-IGF1R overexpression was an independent factor in predicting PFS for GC patients, apart from lymph metastasis. In conclusion, p-IGF1R is highly expressed in GC, which may be a novel biomarker to predict the clinical outcome of GC patients.