title: Ezrin expression in rectal cancer predicts time to development of local recurrence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Improved outcome after rectal cancer surgery requires identification of novel risk factors of tumour recurrence in order to personalise therapy, that is, enhanced selection of high-risk patients to additional radiochemotherapy or intensified follow-up. In several tumour types, including colorectal cancer, high expression of the membrane-cytoskeleton linker ezrin has been suggested to impair prognosis but has not yet reached clinical application. We evaluated the expression of ezrin in rectal cancer with a focus on the identification of a marker for local tumour recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical expression of ezrin was analysed in 104 primary rectal cancers from patients who developed local recurrences despite being treated with R0 major abdominal surgery. Time to local recurrence and distant metastasis as well as 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival were used as end points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ezrin expression was weak in 17% of the tumours, moderate in 62%, and intense in 21%. The time to local recurrence was significantly shorter (p = 0.0004) for patients with tumours showing high ezrin expression. No correlation between ezrin expression and time to distant metastasis was identified. Survival data were similar between groups irrespective of ezrin expression in the primary tumours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that increased expression of ezrin may represent a marker of aggressive biological behaviour in rectal cancer. Although further validation is needed, ezrin may represent a relevant marker for personalised treatment of rectal cancer with respect to risk of local recurrence after R0 surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Helsingborg Hospital, 251 87 Helsingborg, Sweden. fredrik.jorgren@skane.se
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jörgren
authors.forename: Mef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nilbert
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rambech
authors.forename: Pär-Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Bendahl
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindmark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin