Increased TGF-beta 1 protein expression in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence that TGF-beta 1 plays a role as a tumor suppressor in early disease and has pro-oncogenic effects in advanced tumor stage. The aim of the study was to correlate TGF-beta 1 in plasma and tissue to clinical and pathological parameters in patients with various stages of disease progression.


METHODS
One hundred sixty-nine patients who underwent surgery for a colorectal carcinoma were prospectively included. Blood samples, tumor free mucosa and tumor biopsies were assayed.


RESULTS
TGF-beta 1 protein expression in tumors increased with increasing T-stage regardless of whether patients with metastatic disease were included or not (P = 0.0006). Patients with metastatic disease showed elevated TGF-beta 1 protein expression in both tumor tissue (P = 0.004) and plasma (P = 0.001) compared to those without metastatic disease. TGF-beta 1 protein expression was higher in the colon compared with the rectum in both tumor tissue and tumor-free bowel (P = 0.03), regardless of whether patients with metastatic disease were included or not. This difference was mainly attributable to a higher TGF-beta 1 protein expression in non-metastatic patients with lymph node positivity (P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher TGF-beta 1 protein expression is associated with increasing T-stage and metastatic disease, indicating that TGF-beta 1 is of importance in tumor progression. The localization of the tumor seems to influence the TGF-beta 1 protein expression in patients with tumor cell-positive lymph nodes.
Langenskiöld
Marcus
M
Tissue Center, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Gothenburg, Sweden. marcus.langenskiold@vgreion.se
Holmdahl
Lena
L
Falk
Peter
P
Angenete
Eva
E
Ivarsson
Marie-Louise
ML
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1