Hyaluronic acid as prognostic marker in resectable colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Hyaluronic acid (HA), an extracellular high molecular mass polysaccharide, is thought to be involved in the growth and progression of malignant tumours. The objective of this work was to evaluate the cytosolic HA content in resectable colorectal cancer, its possible relationship with clinicopathological parameters of tumours and its prognostic significance.


METHODS
Cytosolic HA levels were examined by radiometric assay in 120 patients with resectable colorectal cancer. The mean follow-up period was 33.4 months.


RESULTS
Cytosolic HA levels of tumours ranged widely, from 30 to 29 412 ng per mg protein. Intratumour HA levels were significantly correlated with Dukes stage (P < 0.005), and were higher in patients with advanced tumours (mean(s.e.m.) 2695(446), 2858(293) and 5274(967) ng per mg protein for stages A, B and C respectively). In addition, Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumour HA levels higher than 2000 ng per mg protein predicted shorter relapse-free survival and overall survival periods (both P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a wide variability in cytosolic HA levels in colorectal carcinomas, which seems to be related to the biological heterogeneity of these tumours. In addition, high tumour cytosolic HA levels were associated with an unfavourable outcome in patients with resectable colorectal cancer. HA may provide additional information to that given by other biochemical markers currently used in colorectal cancer.
Llaneza
A
A
Departments of Surgery and Nuclear Medicine, Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo and Department of Surgery, Hospital de Jove, Gijón, Spain.
Vizoso
F
F
Rodríguez
J C
JC
Raigoso
P
P
García-Muñiz
J L
JL
Allende
M T
MT
García-Morán
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011874:Radiometry; D012044:Regression Analysis
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid