MET Is highly expressed in advanced stages of colorectal cancer and indicates worse prognosis and mortality.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate by immunohistochemistry the prognostic meaning of the tumor marker MET (hepatocyte growth factor) in patients submitted to surgical resection due to primary colorectal adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
A retrospective study was carried out that included 286 consecutive patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, submitted to surgical resection at Barretos Cancer Hospital, from 1993 to 2002. The histopathological expression of the MET tumor marker was evaluated using an anti-protein monoclonal antibody against MET by the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. The expression of the tumor marker was semi-quantitative, and the slide samples were independently analyzed by three pathologists unaware of patient clinical and histopathological data.


RESULTS
The tumor marker expression was positive in 236 (79%) out of a total of 286 patients. This expression was statistically significantly different between stages I and IV (p=0.004), for overall survival (p=0.009), and for cancer-related mortality rates (p=0.022). However, no association between the tumor marker and recurrence (p=0.89) or disease-free interval (p=0.91) was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
MET has shown significant expression at advanced stages of the disease, as well as for overall survival and cancer-related mortality rates demonstrating to be a valuable marker for poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.
De Oliveira
Antônio Talvane Torres
AT
Departments of Surgery and Pathology of Barretos Cancer Hospital, Pio XII Foundantion, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Matos
Delcio
D
Logullo
Angela Flávia
AF
DA Silva
Sandra Regina Morini
SR
Neto
Ricardo Artigiani
RA
Filho
Adhemar Longatto
AL
Saad
Sarhan Sydney
SS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; C491743:MET protein, human; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met