[Expression of thymidylate synthase gene and recurrence of colorectal carcinoma: their relation and clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) gene and recurrence of colorectal carcinoma and its effect on clinical treatment.


METHODS
RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of TS gene in primary foci, para-tumoral intestine mucosa, local recurrence, abdominal-pelvic dissemination and hepatic metastasis in 68 cases of colorectal carcinoma, and TS protein was examined with western blot.


RESULTS
In 68 cases of colorectal carcinoma, the expression of TS gene in primary foci was 22.1% (15/68); and the positive rates of TS gene expression in local recurrence, abdominal-pelvic dissemination and hepatic metastasis were 88.5% (23/26), 85.0% (17/20), 40.9% (9/20) respectively. The rates of TS protein expression in primary foci, local recurrence, abdominal-pelvic dissemination and hepatic metastasis were 22.1% (15/68), 84.6% (22/26), 80.0% (16/20), 36.4% (8/22) respectively. The negative expression of TS gene and TS protein was detected in paratumoral intestinal mucosa. The results of TS gene and TS protein expression were identical with those the two methods. The positive rates of TS gene and TS protein expression in diversified recurrence foci and metastasis were higher than those in primary foci (P < 0.01). The differences of TS gene and TS protein expression rates between recurrence and hepatic metastasis were significant (P < 0.01). The expression rates of TS gene and TS protein in local recurrence and abdominal-pelvic dissemination tissues were higher than those in hepatic metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of TS gene plays an important role in the process of local recurrence and abdominal-pelvic dissemination of colorectal carcinoma.
Li
S
S
Department of General Surgery, Beijing Military General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China.
Yu
B
B
An
P
P
Liang
Z
Z
Yuan
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D026481:Blotting, Far-Western; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000201:enzymology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D013940:Thymidylate Synthase