Expression of AXIN and MACC1 in Gastric Carcinoma and Its Clinical Significance

Objective To investigate the expression of axis inhibition protein (AXIN) and metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) in gastric carcinoma and their relationship to the clinicopathologic characteristics. Methods Expressions of AXIN and MACC1 proteins were examined by immunohistochemistry containing 100 specimens of gastric tissues (gastric carcinoma group) and 60 specimens of normal gastric mucosa tissues (control group, the nearby tissues of the excised specimen of gastric cancer patients, from the tumor of the gastric cancer >5.0 cm, and confirm that there were no cancer cells). Results The positive rates of AXIN and MACC1 proteins in gastric carcinoma and the control tissues were 37.0% vs. 83.3% and 58.0% vs. 6.7%, respectively. The difference were significant between the two groups (both P<0.05). The expressions of AXIN and MACC1 proteins were significantly related with grades of tumor, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and Duke stages (P<0.05). Spearman analysis showed that there was a negative relationship between the AXIN expression and MACC1 expression (r=-0.355, P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank single factor analysis showed that AXIN and MACC1 protein expressions were related to the 5-year survival rate of patients (both P<0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that the positive expression of AXIN and the negative expression MACC1 protein, and Duke stages (Ⅲ-Ⅳ) were the independent prognostic factors of gastric carcinoma. Conclusion The expressions of AXIN and MACC1 proteins are related to the prognosis of gastric carcinoma patients, and are involved in the invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma.