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In 19 patients with advanced gastric cancer the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were studied using immunohistochemical techniques. There were 12 males and the mean age of the group was 54.8 years. Most cases belonged in Borrmann's types III or IV. Tumoral cells were positive for EGF receptor in 9 patients (47%), with a strong reaction in 6. Thirteen of 18 subjects were positive for EGF. The reaction for EGF receptor was positive in 20% of 12 patients with intestinal type tumors and in 67% of 7 patients with diffuse tumors. Reaction for EGF was positive in 80% of intestinal type tumors and 64% of diffuse tumors. Simultaneous positive reactions for both antigens was observed in 5 of 18 patients, all with diffuse type tumors. Signet ring cell tumors showed less positivity than less differentiated ones. Thus, the expression of EGF and EGF receptor was higher in our patients with advanced gastric cancer than reported elsewhere.

We studied fixation of bromodeoxyuridine by immunohistochemistry in 17 patients with advanced gastric cancer. Macroscopically, they corresponded to Borman's types III (n = 10), IV (5) I (1) and unclassified (1). 11 patients had a diffuse lesion, 5 an intestinal type lesion and 1 an epidermoid carcinoma. Positive reactions were observed in 27.7% of cells (95% CL 10-48%). No difference was observed in positivity of superficial (29%) or deep areas of the tumor (27%). Greater fixation rates were observed in patients under 50 years, of age compared to older patients. The percentage of positive reactive cells was not related to macroscopic or histologic tumor type. Greater fixation rates were observed in this series compared to those previously reported, suggesting greater proliferation rates in these patients.