Comparison of the expression of ABH/Lewis-related antigens in polypoid and non-polypoid growth types of colorectal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Colorectal tumors can be classified based on their growth pattern into the polypoid growth-type (PG-type) and non-polypoid growth-type (NPG-type). To ascertain whether there is any relationship between the expression of particular blood group-related antigens (A, B, H, Lewis (Le)a, sialyl Le(a), Le(x), sialyl Le(x)) in a colorectal tumor, and a tumor having polypoid or non-polypoid growth, we examined 78 PG-type and NPG-type colorectal cancers.


METHODS
Fourteen PG-type and 64 NPG-type colorectal carcinomas were subjected to immunohistochemical analyses by using monoclonal antibodies against A, B, H, Le(a), sialyl Le(a), Le(x) and sialyl Le(x).


RESULTS
The patients with NPG-type carcinomas had a significantly younger age of onset, significantly smaller maximal tumor diameter, significantly higher rate of lymph node metastasis and significantly worse prognosis than those with PG-type carcinomas. Among the 32 tumors of patients with blood type A or AB, isoantigen A was expressed in a significantly larger percentage of NPG-type carcinomas than PG-type carcinomas (95.8 vs 62.5%, respectively; P=0.014). Among all 78 tumors, sialyl Le(x) antigen was expressed in a significantly larger percentage of NPG-type than PG-type carcinomas (90.6 vs 64.3%, respectively; P=0.010). Multivariate analysis using the logistic regression model revealed that isoantigen A and sialyl Le(x) expression were independent predictive risk factors for the development of NPG-type colorectal carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the expression of isoantigen A and sialyl Le(x) in a colorectal carcinoma partially determines whether the tumor will have polypoid or non-polypoid growth.
Nakagoe
T
T
First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan. nakagoe@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Fukushima
K
K
Nanashima
A
A
Sawai
T
T
Tsuji
T
T
Jibiki
M A
MA
Yamaguchi
H
H
Yasutake
T
T
Ayabe
H
H
Matuo
T
T
Tagawa
Y
Y
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000097:blood*; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D007519:Isoantigens; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens