Liver fatty acid-binding protein is a new prognostic factor for hepatic resection of colorectal cancer metastases.
OBJECTIVE
Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is reported as a biological marker for enterocytic differentiation. We evaluated the prognostic value of L-FABP expression for patients undergoing hepatic resection of colorectal cancer metastases.


METHODS
The study group comprised 68 patients who underwent hepatic resection for colorectal cancer metastases between 1982 and 1996 at Niigata University Medical Hospital, Niigata, Japan. L-FABP expression was immunohistochemically studied in metastatic liver tumors and their primary colorectal cancers. The relationship between L-FABP expression and patient prognoses was statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
L-FABP was positively stained in 56% (38/68) of liver metastases from colorectal cancers and in 56% (38/68) of their primary tumors. Of 68 cases, 54 (79%) showed similar immunohistochemical findings between primary and metastatic tumors. Patients with L-FABP-positive liver metastases showed better prognosis than patients with L-FABP-negative metastases (P = 0.046). L-FABP expression in primary colorectal cancers more significantly (P = 0.009) affected long-term survival after hepatic surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed that the prognostic effect of L-FABP expression in primary colorectal cancers was exerted independently and that its impact was larger than conventional pathological prognosticators.


CONCLUSIONS
L-FABP expression is suitable for use as a new presurgical prognostic factor for patients undergoing hepatic surgery for colorectal cancer metastases.
Yamazaki
T
T
Department of Surgery, Niigata University School of Medicine, Niigata, Japan. tyamazak@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
Kanda
T
T
Sakai
Y
Y
Hatakeyama
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C493319:FABP1 protein, human; C107608:FABP7 protein, human; C493320:Fabp1 protein, mouse; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins