title: Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1): a potential marker of prognosis in rectal carcinoma?
abstract: The aim of the study is to evaluate the pattern and level of expression of glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) in rectal carcinoma in relation to outcome as a potential surrogate marker of tumour hypoxia. Formalin-fixed tumour sections from 43 patients with rectal carcinoma, who had undergone radical resection with curative intent, were immunohistochemically stained for GLUT-1. A mean of three sections per tumour (range 1-12) were examined. Each section was semiquantitatively scored; 0, no staining; 1, <10%; 2, 10-50%; 3, >50% and a score given for the whole section, the superficial (luminal) and deep (mural) part of the tumour. Staining was seen in 70% of tumours. Increased staining was noted adjacent to necrosis and ulceration. A diffuse and patchy pattern of staining, with and without colocalisation to necrosis was seen. Patients with high GLUT-1-expressing tumours (score 3 vs 0-2) had a significantly poorer overall survival (P=0.041), which was associated with poorer metastasis-free survival with no difference in local control. No significant correlation was seen with other prognostic factors. There was a strong correlation between the score for the superficial and deep parts of the tumour (r=0.81), but a significant relationship with outcome was only found in the deep part (P=0.003 vs P=0.46). In conclusion, increased GLUT-1 expression in rectal tumours was an adverse prognostic factor and is worth further evaluation as a predictive marker of response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dokuz Eylül University Medical School, Inciraltu, Izmir 35340, Turkey. rachel.cooper@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarioğlu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sökmen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Füzün
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Küpelioğlu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Görken
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Airley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009336:Necrosis; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; C495677:SLC2A1 protein, human