Abstract

BACKGROUND
Fascin-1 is a globular cross-linking and actin bundling protein that provides mechanical support to cellular protrusions and cell motility. The expression of fascin in epithelial neoplasms has been recently reported, but its exact mechanism in cancer is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the expression of fascin and its relationship with the clinicopathologic parameters and the other tumor markers in gastric carcinoma.
METHODS
Immunohistochemical stainings for fascin, c-erbB-2, p53 and Ki-67 labeling index were performed in 62 gastric carcinoma specimens.
RESULTS
Fascin-1 protein was not expressed in the normal gastric glandular epithelial cells. It had an expression in 35.5% of the gastric adenocarcinomas. The fascin-1 expression in carcinoma was slightly increased in the well to moderately differentiated tumors compared with the poorly differentiated tumors. The fascin-1 expression was correlated with the c-erbB-2 protein expression. There was no significant correlation with the clinicopathologic factors such as tumor size, nodal metastasis, pathologic stage, p53 protein expression and Ki-67 labeling index.
CONCLUSIONS
This study reveals the possibility that the fascin-1 protein expression in gastric carcinoma may be closely linked with the c-erbB-2 protein expression. However, further study on fascin-1 and c-erbB-2 protein at the cellular level and their clinical relevance is needed.

• Keywords: Fascin;c-erbB-2;Gastric carcinoma;Immunohistochemistry