title: Correlations of clinicopathological factors with protein expression levels of thymidylate synthase, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and orotate phosphoribosyltransferase in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Expression levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), and orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) have been reported to be associated with tumor response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated correlations of clinicopathological factors with protein expression levels of TS, DPD, OPRT in colorectal cancer (CRC). The subjects were 202 patients who had undergone CRC resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a negative correlation between DPD and OPRT protein levels, but no correlation of TS levels with either OPRT or DPD levels. The DPD levels in women was significantly lower than that in men. The DPD level was significantly lower in colonic tumors than in rectal tumors, while the OPRT level was significantly higher in colonic tumors than in rectal tumors. The TS level did not correlate with any clinicopathological factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DPD and OPRT protein levels in CRC suggest that female gender and colonic tumors are positive prognostic factors in patients who receive chemotherapy with 5-FU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Tract Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. ts3350 @ yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuchida
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishizaki
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimazu
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP) / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009962:Orotate Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; D009962:Orotate Phosphoribosyltransferase; D005472:Fluorouracil