Evaluation of genetic mutations of tumor suppresser genes in colorectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
The mutation of tumor suppresser genes of colorectal cancer was evaluated to clarify its significance in the clinical management of colorectal cancer patients.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction amplification was performed to investigate the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the DCC (deleted-in-colorectal-carcinoma) gene and p53 gene in 76 colorectal cancers.


RESULTS
Thirty-five of 76 tumors showed LOH at the p53 locus. LOH at the DCC locus was observed in 30 of 76 tumors. Tumors with DCC LOH had a significantly higher rate of p53 LOH. DCC LOH was associated with both liver metastasis and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, younger patients and patients with a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma had a higher risk of liver and lymph node metastasis when the tumor had DCC LOH. The association between liver or lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological factors was stronger in tumors with smaller size and negative serosal invasion.


CONCLUSIONS
The careful exploration of the liver and regional lymph nodes is advocated when the tumor has a DCC alteration, even at an early stage of the disease and especially in younger patients and patients with a well-differentiated carcinoma. The assessment of DCC LOH may be useful for selecting patients for extensive surgical intervention or adjuvant chemotherapy.
Kubo
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Surgery II, Mie University Medical School, Tsu, Japan.
Miki
Chikao
C
Kusunoki
Masato
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 / Q000235:genetics; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016163:Genes, DCC / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009154:Mutation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics*
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53