title: Expression of cortactin and focal adhesion kinase in colorectal adenocarcinoma: correlation with clinicopathologic parameters and their prognostic implication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cortactin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) are two important components among actin cross-linking proteins that play a central role in cell migration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aims of this study were to evaluate the expression of cortactin and FAK in normal colorectal mucosa and colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) using tissue microarray of 2 mm cores to correlate their expression with other clinicopathological factors and, investigate their prognostic significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty (9%) and 24 cases (11%) of normal colorectal mucosa were immunoreactive for cortactin and FAK. In addition, 184 (84%) and 133 cases (61%) of CRCs were immunoreactive for cortactin and FAK, respectively. Cortactin expression was associated with histologic differentiation and FAK expression. Cortactin, but not FAK expression was also correlated with poor overall and relapse-free survival and served well as an independent prognostic factor for poor survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cortactin expression, in association with FAK expression, may plays an important role in tumor progression. Furthermore, it may also be a satisfactory biomarker to predict tumor progression and survival in CRC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yo Na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jun Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Kyu Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Myoung Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Woo Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Myoung Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dong Geun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Colorectal neoplasms; Cortactin; Focal adhesion protein-tyrosine kinases; Immunohistochemistry