EXPRESSION OF ERK1/2 AND BCL-2 IN GASTRIC CARCINOMA AND THEIR CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY CARE CANCER HOSPITAL

• RAYA BANERJEE,*  
• SRABANTI HAJRA,  
• JAYANTA CHAKRABARTI,  
• VILAS D. NASARE,  
• SUSHMITA GHOSH

Abstract

Introduction: Stomach cancer was ranked fifth in incidence and also fifth rank in mortality globally in 2022. It was seventh most common cancer in India. Studies have shown that ERK/MAPK pathways regulate cellular motility in both neoplastic and normal gastric epithelial cells and are involved in cell migration and invasiveness. Aberrant Bcl-2 is expressed in a sequential manner in gastric carcinogenesis. This study aims to evaluate the association between the clinicopathological features of gastric carcinoma and ERK1/2 and Bcl-2 expression in Eastern Indian Population. Material and Methods: The study included 63 surgically resected tumour samples of patients with gastric carcinoma between 2021 and 2023. Processing of tissues was done for histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry with ERK1/2 and Bcl-2. Data was analysed and P values less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Results: Sixty-one out of sixty-three cases of gastric carcinoma showed ERK1/2 expression on immunohistochemistry (96.8%) in the carcinoma cells. ERK1/2 expression was significantly associated with patient gender, ≥5cm tumour size, Borrmann type II tumours, Diffuse type, histological type, Grade III tumours, Lymphovascular invasion, advanced T stage, advanced N stage and a higher AJCC prognostic stage. Forty-six out of sixty-three cases of gastric carcinoma showed Bcl-2 [removed]73%) in the carcinoma cells. There was a significant association of Bcl-2 expression with patient gender, ≥5cm tumour size, Borrmann type II tumours, Intestinal type, histological type of tumours, Grade II tumours, Lymphovascular invasion, advanced T stage, advanced N stage and a higher AJCC prognostic stage. Conclusion: Higher expressions of ERK1/2 and Bcl-2 were seen in higher tumour grade and higher AJCC prognostic stage pointing towards a prognostic significance of these markers in gastric carcinoma.

Keywords

Gastric carcinoma, Borrmann Classification, Intestinal type, Diffuse type, Immunohistochemistry, ERK1/2, Bcl-2