Proliferative activity of tumor cells in intestinal and diffuse types of gastric cancer

Proliferative activity of primary tumor cells in surgical specimens from 65 patients with intestinal type and from 42 patients with diffuse type of stage T1-4 N0-3 M0 gastric cancer was studied. Immunohistochemical studies were performed using standard methods. Antibodies (Dako) to Ki67 (MIB-1, RTU, murine) were used to study proliferative activity of tumor cells. In intestinal type of gastric cancer, the level of Ki67 expression in cells of gland-like, fibrous structures of a tumor and in discrete small groups of neoplastic cells located in mucosal, submucosal and serous layers of the gastric wall was studied. In diffuse type of gastric cancer, the level of Ki67 expression in small discrete groups of tumor cells located on different depths of invasion was studied. It was shown that in both intestinal and diffuse types of gastric cancer, the percentage of cells expressing Ki67 was decreased with increasing the depth of tumor invasion into the gastric wall. In cases with lymphogenic metastases, on the contrary, the studied parameter was increased.