Affiliations: Center of Operative Medicine, Department of Visceral,
Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria | Department of Surgery, Paracelsus Private Medical
University, Salzburger Landeskliniken, Salzburg, Austria | Department of Pathology, Innsbruck Medical University,
Austria | Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University
Hospital Essen, Germany | Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck,
Austria
Note: [] Corresponding author: Gilbert Mühlmann, M.D., Center of
Operative Medicine, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery,
Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Tel.:
+43 512 504 80616; Fax: +43 512 504 28519; E-mail: gilbert.muehlmann@i-med.ac.at
Abstract: 14-3-3 sigma (σ) induces G2 arrest enabling
the repair of damaged DNA. The function of 14-3-3 σ is
frequently lost in tumor cells, indicating a potential tumor suppressor
function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of
14-3-3 σ expression in human gastric cancer. 14-3-3
σ expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in
157 tumor samples of patients, who underwent resection for gastric cancer.
Since 14-3-3 σ is involved in the p53 network, p53
expression was detected in parallel and correlated with 14-3-3 σ. 14-3-3 σ was found to be overexpressed in
75 (47.8%) of 157 cases, the overexpression rate of p53 protein was 27.4%. 14-3-3 σ overexpression was statistically
significantly associated with pT-stage (p=0.041) pN-stage
(p=0.015) and UICC-stage (p=0.019) and
showed a borderline significance with Lauren classification
(p=0.057). Univariate survival calculations revealed a
coexistent 14-3-3 σ and p53 overexpression as a
significant predictor of disease-free survival. Multivariate analysis did not
unfold 14-3-3 as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival and
overall survival. Concomitant 14-3-3 σ and p53
overexpression in tumor cells of patients with gastric cancer identifies a
population of patients with relatively unfavorable prognosis.
