Lectin-histochemical assessment of carbohydrate determinants in tumour cells of main histological types of gastric cancer

Abstract

Aim. 69 cases of gastric cancer were investigated, among them 31 cases of diffuse type, 25 cases of intestinal and 13 mixed-type, using lectins of eight specificities: wheat germ, peanut, edible snail, common elder, laburnum tree, soybeans, lentils and mistletoe. Methods and results. Maximum frequency of the high lectin binding was found in the diffuse type for common elder (72.4%), edible snail and soybean lectins (67.7% each). Intestinal type of the gastric cancer was characterized by high rate of tumor cell binding to peanut lectins (52%) and wheat germ lectins (48%). In mixed type – with lectins of peanut and soybeans (53.8% each). Meanwhile lectins exhibiting high binding frequency are characterized by a more intensive binding in comparison with the normal mucosa in the same case. Cases of vascular invasion with tumour cells and without it were compared. In the intestinal type of the gastric cancer the maximum degree of staining difference was with edible snail and common elder lectins with the predominance in the group with invasion (26.4% and 20.2%, respectively). In the diffuse type of the gastric cancer, the highest frequency of intense binding was in the group with invasion with common elder (68%), edible snail (63%), laburnum tree (61.5%), and lentils lectins (57.8%). In the mixed type of the stomach cancer an intensive staining in the presence of vascular invasion was with peanut, soybean (53.8% each) and wheat germs lectins (42.2%).

Keywords

• Stomach Neoplasms
• Linitis Plastica
• Lectins