title: Expression and prognostic significance of angiopoietin in colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth and metastasis of malignant tumors depend on the angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) expression in advanced colorectal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally, 101 patients with surgically resected advanced colorectal carcinomas were enrolled. The tumor expressions of Ang-1 and Ang-2 were evaluated immunohistochemically, and their relationships with clinicopathological factors and prognosis were investigated. Tumor microvessel density (MVD) was also calculated and correlated with angiopoietin expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ang-1 and Ang-2 were detected in 26 (25.7%) and 45 (44.6%), respectively, of 101 cancerous lesions. Overexpression of Ang-1 was correlated with high MVD. Overexpression of Ang-2 was correlated with lymph node metastasis, venous invasion, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen levels, and high MVD (P < or = 0.05). MVD was not significantly upregulated by Ang-1 expression, but was significantly upregulated by Ang-2 expression (P < or = 0.01). However, only patients with Ang-2 overexpression showed a significantly worse prognosis than those without Ang-2 overexpression. Multivariate analysis with logistic regression for 5-year survival revealed that cancerous stage and Ang-2 overexpression were independent prognostic indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Ang-1 expression correlated with MVD. However, Ang-2 expression was a useful prognostic marker in the management of patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, College of Life Science, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsin-Chu City, Taiwan, Republic of China. young@hch.doh.gov.tw
authors.forename: Yuan-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Yung-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Ching-Nien
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Tzong-Hsiung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hseu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2