title: Thymidylate synthase and cyclin D1 protein expression in lymph node negative colorectal cancer: role as prognostic factors?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thymidylate synthase (TS) is an enzyme for DNA-synthesis and the target for 5-fluorouracil whereas cyclin-D1 plays a critical role in the progression of cells through the G1 phase of the cell-cycle. There is evidence that expression of these markers may predict the outcome of patients with colorectal cancers. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic value of TS and cyclin D1 protein expression in patients with node negative colorectal cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  TS and cyclin D1 protein expression from 140 patients with UICC stage I and II colorectal cancer was analyzed by immunhistochemistry in paraffin-embedded primary tumour specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1-, 5- and 10-year overall-survival rates were 96%, 86% and 71%, respectively. Tumour stage and recurrence were associated with overall-survival. Low- and high TS immunoreactivity was present in 68 (48%) and 72 (52%) of cancers, respectively. Low- and high cyclin D1 immunoreactivity was present in 98 (70%) and 42 (30%) of the cancers, respectively. Patients (n=72) with high TS expressing tumours had a worse overall-survival than patients (n=68) with low TS expressing colorectal cancers (p=0.011). No difference in overall-survival was seen between patients with high and low cyclin D1 expressing cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TS may be helpful as a prognostic marker in lymph node negative colorectal cancer.
authors: Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. andrea.formentini@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Formentini
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Henne-Bruns
authors: Marko
authors: M
authors: Kornmann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C530104:CCND1 protein, human; D019938:Cyclin D1; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase