Avan Sardar Ahmed - Histopathology Department, Pathology Lab, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq
Jalal Ali Jalal - Department of Basic Sciences/Pathology, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq
Kalthuma Salih Hamad Ameen - Histopathology Department, Pathology Lab, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq

Background & Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) persists to be a major health issue globally, and the need to investigate new molecular markers for improving the survival of patients continues. CDX۲ is a homeobox caudal protein family member encoded by the CDX۲ gene and is probably playing a role in intestinal epithelial differentiation and proliferation. This study aimed to assess the expression of this protein in gastric cancer cells in addition to its correlation with multiple clinicopathological parameters.Methods: This observational retrospective study was carried out on ۸۰ gastric cancer cases in Erbil, Iraq. CDX۲ protein immunoexpression in tumor cells, as well as its correlation with several clinicopathological criteria, were investigated.Results: CDX۲ was detected in ۳۸.۷۵% of GC patients. We found a significant correlation between CDX۲ expression and the age of patients (P=۰.۰۲). Even though the protein was more expressed in tumors with negative lymphovascular invasion and intestinal GC, there was no significant correlation between the expression of this protein and invasion. In addition, CDX۲ expression was not significantly correlated with patient gender, tumor grade, nodal status, and tumor stage.Conclusion: CDX۲ expression was observed to be downregulated in younger patients. It could be due to the higher frequency of diffuse GC, in which CDX۲ is expressed less than the intestinal type, in younger individuals.

CDX۲, Gastric carcinoma, Immunohistochemistry