Clinical Significance of Glioma-associated Oncogene 1 Expression in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer Administered Adjuvant Chemotherapy With S-1 After Curative Surgery

Background/Aim: Glioma-associated oncogene 1 (GLI1) is an important transcription factor in the hedgehog signalling pathway and tumour formation. We evaluated the clinical significance of GLI1 expression as a prognostic factor in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer ( GC). Patients and Methods: GLI1 expression levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of cancerous and adjacent normal mucosa specimens obtained from 142 patients with Stage II/III GC administered adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 after curative resection. The associations of GLI1 expression with clinicopathological features and survival were evaluated. Results: Clinicopathological features and GLI1 expression showed no association. Overall survival was significantly poorer in the high compared to the low GLI1 expression group (p=0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that GLI1 expression was a significant independent prognostic factor [p=0.019, hazard ratio (HR)= 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.70-3.38]. Conclusion: GLI1 expression may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with locally advanced GC.