Galectin-3 expression is a potent prognostic marker in colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding protein whose expression has been correlated with progression and metastasis in colon cancer. It is expressed at elevated levels in a variety of neoplastic cells. The current study was designed to investigate, by clinicopathological analysis, the relationship between prognosis and galectin-3 expression, in colorectal cancer.


METHODS
Galectin-3 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining in 121 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer. The relationship between galectin-3 expression and clinicopathological factors was analyzed.


RESULTS
Galectin-3-positive expression was detected in 79 patients (65%). The incidence of lymph node and distant metastasis in galectin 3-positive cancer was significantly higher than that in galectin-3-negative cases (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.014, respectively). Furthermore, cancers with galectin-3-positive expression revealed frequent venous invasion (p = 0.005) and lymphatic permeation (p = 0.041), larger size (p = 0.016) and deeper invasion to wall(p = 0.01) than in galectin-3-negative cases. While univariate analysis showed that survival in patients with galectin-3-positive expression was significantly poorer than in galectin-3-negative cases (p = 0.0027), galectin-3 expression was a prognostic factor independent of Dukes' stage and lymph node metastasis by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose that galectin-3 expression is an independent factor for prognosis in colorectal cancer.
Endo
Kazuya
K
Department of General Surgery, Fukuoka Dental College Hospital, Japan. kendo@munakata-med-hp.gr.jp
Kohnoe
Shunji
S
Tsujita
Eiji
E
Watanabe
Akihiro
A
Nakashima
Hideaki
H
Baba
Hideo
H
Maehara
Yoshihiko
Y
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3