p16 Gene methylation in colorectal tumors: correlation with clinicopathological features and prognostic value.
BACKGROUND
Methylation of the CpG islands in the p16 gene promoter region is an important transcription repression mechanism that has been identified as an alternative mechanism for inactivating specific genes in cancer. Given that, DNA methylation is a common event in colorectal cancer.


METHODS
The aim of this study was to establish the methylation status of the p16 gene in 104 patients with colorectal carcinoma and evaluate its prognostic value. DNA was bisulfite-modified and analyzed for p16 promoter methylation by methylation-specific PCR.


RESULTS
Methylation of thep16 gene was determined in 18.3% of our patient population (19/104). The methylated state did not correlate with any clinicopathological factors. During a median follow-up period of 72 months, the overall survival rate for patients with gene methylation was 75% and without gene methylation it was 61% (p = 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
Although not statistically significant, this difference indicates a clinically valuable tendency.
Sanz-Casla
M T
MT
Servicio de Análisis Clínicos, Sección Biología Tumoral, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
Maestro
M L
ML
Vidaurreta
M
M
Maestro
C
C
Arroyo
M
M
Cerdán
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019942:Genes, p16 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm