Clinicopathological characteristics and expression of neuroendocrine differentiation markers of the solid type poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma

Solid type poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma (Por1) sometimes provokes hematogenous metastasis. Thirty-one patients (Pts), confirmed as por1, were examined the expression of CEA, CA19-9 and AFP as tumor markers, synaptophysin (SY), CD56 and chromogranin A as neuroendocrine differentiation markers, and Her2 as a high risk factor of hepatic metastasis by immunohistochemical staining. Hemotogenous recurrence was revealed in 10 Pts, peritoneal dissemination in 5 Pts, lymph node metastasis in 3 Pts, and local recurrence in 1 Pt. Almost all tumors were CEA positive and half of them were CA19-9 and SY positive. SY positive rate was 67% in hematogenous metastasis and CA19-9 was 75% in peritoneal recurrence. Her2 was positive in only one Pt. In conclusion, Por1 is liable to develop hematogenous metastasis and might be concerned with neuroendocrine differentiation.