Objective: To investigate the expressions of chromobox homolog 4 (Cbx4) and FERM domain protein 4A (FRMD4A) in gastric cancer tissue and their relations with the clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis of the gastric cancer patients.
Methods: The surgical specimens (cancer and adjacent tissues) and clinicopathologic data of 112 patients with gastric cancer treated from February 2010 to November 2013 were collected. The mRNA and protein expressions of Cbx4 and FRMD4A in the specimens were determined by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. The relations of the protein expressions of Cbx4 and FRMD4A with the clinicopathologic variables and survival rates of the patients were analyzed, and the prognostic factors for gastric cancer patients were also analyzed.
Results: Compared with tumor adjacent normal tissue, both mRNA and protein expression levels of Cbx4 and FRMD4A in gastric cancer tissue were significantly increased (all P<0.05). The protein expression levels of both Cbx4 and FRMD4A were significantly associated with the T stage, N stage, degree of differentiation and distant metastasis of the patients (all P<0.05). The 5-year survival rate in gastric cancer patients with positive expression of Cbx4 or FRMD4A protein was significantly lower than that in those with corresponding negative expression (χ2=15.42, P=0.000; χ2=21.55, P=0.000). Cox multivariate analysis showed that the protein expression levels of Cbx4 (HR=2.754, 95% CI=1.827–4.151, P=0.000) and FRMD4A (HR=3.129, 95% CI=2.282–4.290, P=0.000) as well as T stage (HR=1.432, 95% CI=1.241–1.652, P=0.005) and distant metastasis (HR=1.257, 95% CI=1.208–1.308, P=0.032) were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.
Conclusion: The Cbx4 and FRMD4A expressions are increased in gastric cancer tissues, which are closely related to the unfavorable clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients. They may have certain significance in disease assessment and prognosis estimation for gastric cancer patients.