Clinical Significance of

The PRKCI gene encodes Protein kinase C iota. The overexpression of protein kinase C iota is associated with poor outcomes in patients with gastric and other cancers, but the role of the PRKCI gene in gastric cancer is not fully understood. Thus, we evaluated the clinical significance of PRKCI gene expression in gastric cancer.PRKCI mRNA expression levels in cancerous tissues and adjacent normal mucosa from 398 patients with gastric cancer were measured. Relationships between PRKCI gene expression and clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes were examined.Overall survival was lower in patients with a high expression of PRKCI than in those with low expression (p=0.016). No other relationships were observed. A high PRKCI expression was found to be an independent prognostic factor (p=0.036, HR=1.44, 95%CI=1.02-2.02).PRKCI gene expression in cancerous tissue might be a useful prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer after gastrectomy.