The Rhesus D-negative phenotype is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in curatively (RO) resected gastric cancer patients

Abstract

Summary Among gastric cancer patients, the Rhesus D-negative phenotype correlated with increased tumour recurrence [all patients, n= 83, P = 0.026; curatively (RO) resected patients, n = 51, P = 0.093] and reduced overall survival time (all patients, log-rank P = 0.0028; RO patients, log-rank P= 0.0003) and was identified in multivariate analysis as the most important independent prognostic marker in the R0 patient group (relative risk 9.1, P= 0.0013).Keywords: gastric cancer; Rhesus factor; progression; prognosis; multivariate analysis Identification of high-risk cancer patients and the development of prognosis-oriented, multimodal therapy adapted to the individual patient is one of the main goals of current oncological research. Towards this end, much effort is currently being directed towards the identification of new, independent prognostic parameters often employing laborious molecular biological and immunohistological approaches. In gastric cancer, a variety of cell adhesion molecules, secreted products and gene-regulatory proteins have been identified as potential risk factors (Tahara, 1995). Among the factors that are readily determined in tumour patients receiving surgical treatment are the blood group antigens. In contrast to extensive studies on the ABO system, the prognostic relevance of the Rhesus factor has only been sporadically investigated (Halvorsen, 1986;Cerny et al, 1987;Kvist et al, 1990Kvist et al, , 1992 Bryne et al, 1991a, b; Raitanen and Tammela, 1993) (1992). Tumour localization and tumour diameter were determined and gross appearance of the tumour was evaluated according to the Borrmann classification. Histological tumour type was determined according to the Lauren classification and the degree of tumour cell differentiation (grading) was also assessed (Roder et al, 1993). Lymphatic and blood vessel invasion and the presence of tumour cells in bone marrow, which are proposed as new prognostic factors (Maehara et al, 1995;Jauch et al, 1996), were also considered. Data for these three parameters were not available for all patients.Prospective follow-up was routinely performed every 6 months and considered tumour recurrence and overall survival. In RO patients, local and distant tumour relapse were evaluated, while in R1 patients distant metastases only were considered. In patients with macroscopic residual tumour (R2) tumour recurrence was not evaluated. Overall survival data were available for all patients.Statistical analyses were performed using the Fisher's exact probability test (two-tailed)

ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups and Risk of Endometriosis in a French Caucasian Population of 633 Patients Living in the Same Geographic Area

“…In general, finding an excess of Rhesus negative subjects among patients with endometriosis suggests a genetic predisposition. Rhesus negativity has been reported as a potential risk factor for esophageal and gastric cancers [ 19 , 20 ]. Rhesus negativity may also predispose to cancers in the lung [ 21 ], mouth [ 22 ], breast [ 23 , 24 ], and endometrium [ 25 ].…”

Preoperative risk factors predict perioperative allogenic blood transfusion in patients undergoing primary lung cancer resections: a retrospective cohort study from a high-volume thoracic surgery center

“…Rhesus negativity has previously found to be linked to various solid malignancies including endometrial, breast, gastric and esophageal cancer [ 20 , 21 ], as well as an increased risk for lung cancer [ 10 ], especially small cell lung cancer [ 22 ]. Moreover, a specific erythrocyte-immunological relationship between tumor growth in lung adenocarcinoma and Rhesus factor CE, but not D has been described [ 23 ].…”