title: Nuclear factor-κB predicts outcome in locally advanced rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  NF-κB expression has been shown to be responsible for resistance to antineoplastic agents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the importance of NF-κB expression as prognostic factor in locally advanced rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed the immunoreactivity for NF-κB in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) in our Institution between March 2003 and June 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-four consecutive patients were enrolled into this study. Immunohistochemistry analysis for NF-κB was performed both in biopsies and in primary tumour samples. NF-κB was considered positive when at least 1% of the tumour cells showed nuclear positivity. A significant correlation between a positive NF-κB nuclear expression, both in biopsies and in tumour samples, and a worse overall survival was observed. Moreover, median time to progression was significantly shorter in the NF-κB-positive subgroup of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Globally, our findings seem to suggest that NF-κB could represent an important parameter able to predict the outcome in patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer. It also could be useful in order to select patients to receive adjuvant chemotherapy, intensifying the adjuvant therapy and, in the next future, obviating the use of drugs involving NF-κB system in their mechanism of action in NF-κB-positive patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I - GM Lancisi - G Salesi di Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maccaroni
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandolesi
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mantello
authors.forename: Azzurra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onofri
authors.forename: Tommasina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biscotti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pierantoni
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siquini
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marmorale
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerrieri
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bearzi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018450:Disease Progression; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B