Objective: To search for the role of galectin-3 gene in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis.
Methods: Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR for detecting the expression of galectin-3 mRNA in 35 matched samples, including primary cancer lesions, lymph node lesions, peritoneal metastasis and adjacent noncancerous mucosa. ANOVA and SNK-q test were used.
Results: The levels of mean expression of galectin-3 mRNA in gastric cancer (385.639 +/- 98. 534), in peritoneal metastasis (368.589 +/- 93.431) and in lymph node metastasis (375.920 +/- 94.346) were significantly higher than that in noncancerous mucosa (2.158 +/- 0.896); there were statistically significant differences respectively (P < 0.05). However, the levels of the expression in gastric cancer, in peritoneal metastasis and in lymph node metastasis were shown to be of no significant differences by multiple comparison, P > 0.05. The expression level in the group of gastric cancer was noted to have positive correlation with that in the group of peritoneal metastasis. These data indicated that the expression levels of galectin-3 in gastric cancer were well correlated to peritoneal metastasis.
Conclusion: The overexpression of galectin-3 in gastric cancer is well correlated with peritoneal metastasis. Galectin-3 mRNA level may serve as a biological marker in the pre-operative judgment on whether the gastric cancer has had peritoneal metastasis or has just the potential of metastasis.