Reduced tau expression in gastric cancer can identify candidates for successful Paclitaxel treatment

• Published in: British journal of cancer 2006-06, Vol.94 (12), p.1894-1897
• Main Authors: Mimori, K, Sadanaga, N, Yoshikawa, Y, Ishikawa, K, Hashimoto, M, Tanaka, F, Sasaki, A, Inoue, H, Sugimachi, K, Mori, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Antigens; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Breast cancer; Cancer Research; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Drug Resistance; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm - physiology; Epidemiology; Female; Gastric cancer; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Molecular Diagnostics; Molecular Medicine; Oncology; Paclitaxel - therapeutic use; Proteins; Stomach Neoplasms - drug therapy; Stomach Neoplasms - metabolism; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Surgery; tau Proteins - biosynthesis; Tomography; Tumors
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603182

A recent study disclosed that breast cancer cases with low ‘tau’ expression can predict susceptibility to Paclitaxel administration. In the current study, the clinical significance of tau expression in gastric cancer cases was established by identifying candidates with Paclitaxel administration. Tissue specimens from 20 cases of in-operable or noncuratively resected gastric cancer were examined. Subsequent to the administration of 80 mg m −2 of Paclitaxel in six 3-h intravenous infusions, the clinical effectiveness of Paclitaxel was evaluated by the size of metastatic lesions with computed tomography. The status of the tau expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Based on a previously reported classification scheme, six were classified as tau-negative expression (0, 1+) cases and 14 were classified as tau-positive expression (2+, 3+) cases. All six (100%) cases of tau-negative expression showed a favourable response (partial response or minor response) to Paclitaxel administration. However, 12 (86%) of the 14 cases of tau-positive expression showed progressive disease ( n =11) or no change ( n =1) after Paclitaxel administration. The serum carcinoembryonic antigen values of the six cases of tau-negative expression were markedly decreased in comparison to the 14 tau-positive cases. These data indicate that tau-negative expression can be used to select gastric cancer patients, which will favourably respond to Paclitaxel treatment.