title: Immunohistochemical expression of thymidylate synthase as a prognostic factor and as a chemotherapeutic efficacy index in patients with colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed the importance of Thymidylate Synthase (TS) expression as a prognostic factor and as an index of therapeutic efficacy in patients with colorectal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  TS expression in 66 patients with colorectal carcinoma was immunohistochemically assessed using the anti-TS antibody. TS expression, TS activity, clinicopathological characteristics and survival were evaluated and the correlation among them was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cases studied included 53 patients with low grade positive/negative and 13 patients with high grade positive TS expression. TS levels were 8.69 +/- 10.01 pmol/g and 14.82 +/- 11.38 pmol/g, respectively. There was not correlation between clinicopathological characteristics and TS expression. Considering TS expression, the 5-year survival rate was significantly better for the 75.5% of the patients with low grade positive/negative TS than for the 38.5% of the patients with high grade positive TS (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immunohistochemical expression of TS should be further investigated as a prognostic factor of survival and as an index of chemotherapeutic efficacy in colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chikushi Hospital, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tachikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Futami
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016019:Survival Analysis; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase