Role and prognostic significance of CD44s expression in colorectal cancer.
The purpose of this study was to clarify the role and the predictive strength of the adhesion molecule CD44s (standard isoform) in colorectal carcinogenesis.


METHODS
CD44s immunohistochemical expression was evaluated in 100 patients with colon adenoma and 100 patients with colon adenocarcinoma and adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa (ANNM). The patients were followed-up for five years.


RESULTS
CD44s immunoreactivity was expressed in low-moderate-high-grade dysplasia adenomas and associated with adenocarcinoma (p = 0.01), ANNM (p = 0.05) and pTNM stage (p = 0.00001). Univariate analysis revealed that CD44s expression was associated with overall survival (OS) in carcinomas (p = 0.01) and ANNM (p = 0.05). Bivariate analysis revealed that CD44s was associated with OS in stages I and II patients (p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis revealed that stage (p = 0.0001) and CD44s expression (p = 0.05) were independent predictors of OS.


CONCLUSIONS
CD44s is involved in colon carcinogenesis and is associated with aggressive carcinomas. The immunohistochemical expression of CD44s may reveal cells that have lost their adhesion ability and therefore detect carcinomas with high metastatic power.
Visca
Paolo
P
Department of Pathology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
Del Nonno
Franca
F
Botti
Claudio
C
Marandino
Ferdinando
F
Sebastiani
Valeria
V
Di Tondo
Ugo
U
Donnorso
Raffaele Perrone
RP
Trombetta
Giorgio
G
Filippi
Stefania
S
Alo
Piero Luigi
PL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D016019:Survival Analysis
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D020033:Protein Isoforms