title: Tissue expression of the proteins fas and fas ligand in colorectal cancer and liver metastases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose is to study the clinical significance of Fas/FasL expression in colon cancer and liver metastases (LM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of Fas/FasL in 68 patients with colon cancer was examined immunohistochemically and correlated to the clinicopathological features of the tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High expression of FasL, was observed in stage D and in LM (p=0.024). Fas expression was reduced in stage D tumors and in LM, when compared to earlier stages of disease (p=0.024). LM had also shown a decreased expression of Fas (p=0.016). Tumors with low FasL expression upregulate more often their Fas expression (p = 0.028). No correlation could be established regarding the patients survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low expression of Fas and high expression of FasL are more often in colon tumor stage D and in liver metastasis; these imply tumor aggression, resistance against apoptosis, and could be held as negative prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, 68 100, Alexandroupolis, Greece. kykalos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kykalos
authors.forename: Spuridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mathaiou
authors.forename: Anastasios J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Karayiannakis
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patsouras
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambropoulou
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simopoulos
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor