1Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine 2Department of Surgery, Ulsan University College of Medicine 3Department of Pathology, Ulsan University College of Medicine 4Department of Pathology, Hanyang University College of Medicine
Background: Cancer stem cells are a small population of tumor cells capable of self-renewal that give rise to all the
components of a heterogenous tumor. Recently, this concept has been extended into various solid tumor after the
first documentation in acute myeloid leukemia. CD133 and CD 24 were identified as cancer stem cell markers in
other solid tumors such as breast cancer, brain cancer, pancreatic cancer and head and neck cancer. The aim of
this study was to examine the expression CD133 and CD24 in gastric cancers. Furthermore, their clinical
significance was evaluated.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry for CD133 and CD24 was performed on the tissue microarray of 388 gastric
cancers. We retrospectively analysed the prognostic factors depending on the expression of CD133 and CD24.
Results: In gastric cancers, 251 of the 381 cases (66%) tested were positive for CD133 expression and 122 of the 386
cases (32%) tested were positive for CD24 expression. CD133 expression was more present in well differentiated
cancer (p=0.003). However other prognostic factors were not related with CD 133 & CD24 expression The survival
rate according to CD133 & CD24 expression was not significant.
Conclusions: We can figure out the potential presence of cancer stem cells in gastric cancers through confirming
the positive expression of CD133 & CD24. However CD expressions didn°Øt show close relationship with
prognostic factors and survival rate of gastric cancer.