Systematic assessment of protein phenotypes characterizing high-grade tumour budding in mismatch repair-proficient colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
A tumour bud is defined as a single tumour cell or tumour cell cluster of up to five cells at the invasive tumour front. Significant differences in survival have been detected in colorectal cancer patients with low- compared to high-grade budding. The aim of this study was to identify potential multi-marker phenotypes characterizing low- and high-grade budding in mismatch repair (MMR)-proficient colorectal cancer.


RESULTS
Established and promising prognostic proteins such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), pERK, RHAMM, RKIP, beta-catenin, E-cadherin, pAKT, p16, p21, Ki67, Bcl-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (APAF-1), MUC1, EphB2, matrix metalloproteinase 7, pSMAD2, CDX2, laminin5gamma2 and MST1 were analysed on 208 MMR-proficient colorectal cancers with complete clinicopathological data. The most accurate markers for predicting high-grade budding (more than six tumour buds) were EphB2 (P < 0.001), Bcl-2 (P < 0.001), RKIP (P < 0.001), E-cadherin (P = 0.004), laminin5gamma2 (P = 0.004) and APAF-1 (P = 0.005). On multivariable analysis, only loss of Bcl-2 (P < 0.001) and EphB2 (P < 0.001) were independent predictors of high-grade budding. Bcl-2-/EphB2- tumours were more frequently poorly differentiated (P < 0.001), of advanced pT stage (P = 0.002), lymph node positive (P = 0.023), presented vascular (P = 0.053) and lymphatic invasion (P = 0.005) and had a negative impact on patient survival (P = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
The multi-marker phenotype EphB2-/Bcl-2- is an independent predictor of high-grade budding and implies increased aggressive behaviour in MMR-proficient colorectal cancer.
Karamitopoulou
Eva
E
Second Department of Pathology, University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Rimini 1, Haidari, Athens, Greece. ekaramit@med.uoa.gr
Lugli
Alessandro
A
Panayiotides
Ioannis
I
Karakitsos
Petros
P
Peros
George
G
Rallis
George
G
Patsouris
Efstratios S
ES
Terracciano
Luigi
L
Zlobec
Inti
I
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D053843:DNA Mismatch Repair; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D036183:Receptor, EphB2 / Q000378:metabolism; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D036183:Receptor, EphB2