Study of chromosomes of T lymphocytes in cases of gastric carcinoma

Ⅰ.Survey of chromosomes of 5200 T lymphocytes in 53 cases of gastric carcinoma This paper reported the result and method of chromosome survey of 5200 T lymphocytes in 53 cases of gastric carcinoma.The result revealed aberrations of chromosome in 88.68% of patients, including numerical aberrations in 81.13% and structural aberrations in 60.37%,such as breakage, fragmentation and dicentric chromosome.52.83% of patients had two kinds of aberrations at the same time,It appeared that the rate of aberrations was related to the stage of carcinoma.Aberrations were seen in 100% of cases of stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ,in 50% of stage Ⅰ and in 80% of stage Ⅳ.Therefore,in patients with gastric carcinoma in different stages except stage Ⅳ,the observation of chromosomal aberrations of peripheral lymphocytes is helpful to the diagnosis,but in early stage of gastric carcinoma this diagnosis may be missed because of false negative findings.No significant relationship between the degree of chromosomal aberrations and the stage of malignancy has been found.The average number of chromosomal aberrations was 5.72%. Ⅱ.Survey and analysis of chromosomes of 6000 T lymphocytes in 30 cases of preoperative and postoperative gastric carcinoma The survey of chromosomes of 6000 T lymphocytes in 30 cases of preoperative and postoperative gastric carcinoma revealed aberrations of chromosomes in 93.33%（28/30）.The average rate of numerically abnormal chromosomes was 5.57% and that of structurally abnormal chromosomes was 1.7%.The average rate of chromosomal numerical aberration in 25 cases of gastric carcinoma after radical surgical operation was 3% and the average rate of structurally abnormal chromosomes was 1.04%.Statistically significant difference was observed between the preoperative and postoperative groups（p＜0.01）.The average rate of numerically abnormal chromosomes might be decreased by surgical operation.Our data suggested that cancer might be the source of chromosomal aberrations and the chromosomal aberrations of the peripheral Tlymphocytes might be the result of malignancy.Cells of gastric carcinoma invaded the lymphatic system and the impaired immune function could give rise to chromosomal aberrations of T lymphocytes.For clarification of these problems further intensive study should be done.