AIM To study the relationship among typing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Helicobacterpylori infection, expression of oncogene and tumor suppresser genes in gastric cancer and precancerouslessions.METHODS According to TCM typing, 120 patients with chronic superficial gastritis, intestinal metaplasia,atypical hyperplasia and gastric cancer were divided into 4 groups: 21 patients with coexistence of cold andheat syndrome (group R), 22 patients with in coordination between the liver and the spleen (group U), 29patients with deficiency of the spleen-yin (group I) and 48 patients with insufficiency of the spleen-yang(group H). Protein expression of c-myc, p21 and p53 were detected immunohistochemically, and Hp wereconfirmed by modified Giemsa method.RESULTS The Hp infection of the group H was significantly higher (72.9%) than that of group R(38.1%, P<0.01) and group U (40.9%, P<0.01). Expression of c-myc, p21 and p53 were significantlyrelated to Hp infection and severity of gastric mucosa lesions (group H>group I>group U>group R).CONCLUSION Hp infection, expression of oncogene and tumor suppresser genes were related to TCMtyping. These parameters were helpful in identification of symptoms and signs and TCM differentiationdiagnosis.

AIM To observe the therapeutic effect of Welcome on gastric mucosal dysplasia in rats.METHODS Rats with gastric mucosal dysplasia induced by MMNG and heat-damage were treated withWelcome, a kind of traditional Chinese medicine compound which has the functions of replenishing qi toinvigorate the spleen, and of nourishing the liver and kidney and clearing away heat and toxic materials, thecontrol rats were treated with saline and tretinoin.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The results showed Welcome could obviously block the mutagenic action ofMNNG and prevent the occurrence of gastric mucosal dysplasia of rats.

AIM To establish an ideal model of gastric precancerous lesions for rats.METHODS Fifty rats were fed with carcinogen MNNG for 35 wk and heat-plaste at 60C for 20 wk, thepathological changes were observed. Data in the groups were analyzed by Ridit test.RESULTS The occurrence rate of dysplasia in rats due to MNNG and heat-damage was 65%, which wasobviously higher than that due to MNNG only. The differences between the two groups were significant.CONCLUSION The animal model made by MNNG and heat-damage was an ideal one which could be usedto investigate the pathologic mechanism of gastric precancerous lesions.

To investigate cyclooxygenase- 2(Cox-2) protein expression in esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions. Methods: One hundred twenty biopsy specimens from esophageal carcinoma and 113 from patients with esophageal premalingnant lesions, 27 from individuals with normal esophageal mucosa and 3 from Barrett's esophagus were examined for Cox-2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cox-2 protein was not observed in normal esophageal squamous and glandular epithelium, hyperplasia from mild to severe dysplasia lesions and carcinoma in situ. Positive Cox-2 protein expression was found in 4 of 60 specimens of invasive squamous-cell carcinomas, 21 of 30 specimens of esophageal adenocarcinomas and in 3 of 3 Barret's esophageal tissues. Conclusion: The Cox-2 protein expression may be associated with the development of the esophageal adenocarcinomas but not esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas.