Clinical significance of subcellular localization of KL-6 mucin in primary colorectal adenocarcinoma and metastatic tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To assess subcellular localization of KL-6 mucin and its clinicopathological significance in colorectal carcinoma as well as metastatic lymph node and liver tissues.


METHODS
Colorectal carcinoma tissues as well as metastatic lymph node and liver tissues were collected from 82 patients who underwent colorectomy or hepatectomy. Tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis using KL-6 antibody.


RESULTS
Of the 82 colorectal carcinoma patients, 6 showed no staining, 29 showed positive staining only in the apical membrane, and 47 showed positive staining in the circumferential membrane and/or cytoplasm. Positive staining was not observed in non-cancerous colorectal epithelial cells surrounding the tumor tissues. The five-year survival rate was significantly lower in cases showing positive staining in the circumferential membrane and/or cytoplasm (63.0%) than those showing positive staining only in the apical membrane (85.7%) and those showing no staining (100%). Statistical analysis between clinicopathological factors and subcellular localization of KL-6 mucin showed that KL-6 localization in the circumferential membrane and/or cytoplasm was significantly associated with the presence of venous invasion (P = 0.0003), lymphatic invasion (P<0.0001), lymph node metastasis (P<0.0001), liver metastasis (P = 0.058), and advanced histological stage (P<0.0001). Positive staining was observed in all metastatic lesions tested as well as in the primary colorectal carcinoma tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
The subcellular staining pattern of KL-6 in colorectal adenocarcinoma may be an important indicator for unfavorable behaviors such as lymph node and liver metastasis, as well as for the prognosis of patients.
Guo
Qian
Q
Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
Tang
Wei
W
Inagaki
Yoshinori
Y
Midorikawa
Yutaka
Y
Kokudo
Norihiro
N
Sugawara
Yasuhiko
Y
Nakata
Munehiro
M
Konishi
Toshiro
T
Nagawa
Hirokazu
H
Makuuchi
Masatoshi
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis*; D015996:Survival Rate
D000941:Antigens; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006023:Glycoproteins; C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1; D009077:Mucins