OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of the expressions of Th1 cytokines in gastric cancer tissue and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer after radical resection.

METHODSFifty-eight patients with gastric cancer treated at the Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University were retrospectively analyzed. The expressions of Th1 cytokines mRNA were detected in tumor tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method in Th1 cells including TRAV10, IRF1, TBX21, CD3Z, GZMB, GATA3, and IFNG. Association of Th1 cytokines mRNA expressions and prognosis was evaluated.

RESULTSThe median follow up was 42.5(1-64) months. The 1-year survival rate was 84.5% and the 3-year survival rate was 72.4%. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM staging, lymphovascular invasion, GNLY mRNA expression, and the overall expression level of the 8 types of Th1 cells were associated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer(all P<0.05). The 3-year survival was 86.2% in patients with increased expression of mRNA and 58.6% in those with decreased expression. The 3-year survival was 79.6% in patients with any increase in the 8 Th1 cytokines and 33.3% in those with consistent downregulation of the 8 cytokines. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and the overall expression level of 8 Th1 cytokines were independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer in this cohort(both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe mRNA expression of GNLY is associated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer but is not an independent risk factor. The combination of mRNA expressions of the eight cytokines is an independent prognostic factor.