Nuclear beta-catenin expression as a prognostic factor in advanced colorectal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changing pattern of beta-catenin expression and its prognostic value in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).


METHODS
Archival tumor samples were analyzed for beta-catenin using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 95 patients with advanced CRC.


RESULTS
Membranous beta-catenin expression was found in the normal colorectal epithelium. Almost 100% of CRC cases showed membranous and cytoplasmic expression, and 55 (58%) cases showed nuclear expression. In univariate (Kaplan-Meier) survival analysis, only the nuclear index (NI) was a significant predictor of disease free survival (DFS) (P = 0.023; n = 35), with a NI above the median associated with longer DFS (34.2 mo) than those with a NI below the median (15.5 mo) (P = 0.045, ANOVA). The other indices were not significant predictors of DFS, and none of the three tested indices (for membranous, cytoplasmic, or nuclear expression) predicted disease-specific survival (DSS). However, when dichotomized as positive or negative nuclear expression, the former was a significant predictor of more favorable DFS (P = 0.041) and DSS (P = 0.046).


CONCLUSIONS
Nuclear beta-catenin expression provides additional information in predicting patient outcome in advanced CRC.
Elzagheid
Adam
A
Department of Pathology, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FIN-20520, Turku, Finland. adibel@utu.fi
Buhmeida
Abdelbaset
A
Korkeila
Eija
E
Collan
Yrjo
Y
Syrjanen
Kari
K
Pyrhonen
Seppo
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051176:beta Catenin