Expression and Clinical Significance of Midkine and Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator in Human Gastric Cancer

Objective To detect the expression of midkine(MK) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator(UPA) in human gastric cancer,and to investigate the relationship of MK and UPA expression to the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer.Methods The expression of MK and UPA was detected by immunohistochemistry in 60 cases of gastric cancer and 20 cases of normal control tissue(5 cm from the margin of the tumor).Results The expression rates of MK and UPA in cancer tissue were significantly higher than those in normal control tissue(63.33% vs 25.00% and 51.67% vs 10.00%,respectively,P0.05).The expression of MK and UPA in gastric cancer with full-thickness infiltration was higher than that in gastric cancer with infiltration of mucosa and muscular layer(P0.05).The expression of MK and UPA in poorly differentiated gastric cancer was higher than that in well-differentiated gastric cancer(P0.05).The expression of MK and UPA in gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis(P0.05).There was a positive correlation between MK and UPA expression(r=0.579,P0.001).Conclusion The expression of MK and UPA was closely related to the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer,and MK expression was positively correlated with UPA expression.A combined detection of MK and UPA may be used to determine the development and prognosis of gastric cancer.