The in vitro growth response of primary human colorectal and gastric cancer cells to gastrin

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Abstract
A series of 31 colorectal and 13 gastric primary human tumours were screened for their growth response to human gastrin‐17 in vitro, as assessed by 75Se‐seleno‐methionine incorporation. Fifty‐five percent of colorectal and 69% of gastric tumours showed a significant trophic response to the hormone. The responses were achieved at physiological gastrin concentrations (post‐prandial circulating gastrin levels) in 35% of colorectal and 55% of gastric tumours. Lymphocytes from tumour‐associated lymph nodes showed no response to the hormone and “normal” mucosal cells (obtained from the resection margin of the surgical specimen) showed lower mean levels of 75Se‐seleno‐methionine uptake (colorectal: 110%; gastric: 119%, expressed as a percentage of the control) when compared to tumours (colorectal: 151%; gastric: 147%). The small number of well differentiated and/or Dukes' stage A colorectal tumours examined were gastrin‐responsive, but all the responsive gastric tumours were poorly differentiated. With respect to ploidy, 89% of diploid and 67% of aneuploid colorectal tumours responded trophically to gastrin. Patients with colorectal or gastric tumours may benefit from treatment with gastrin antagonists.