title: The clinical significance of apoptosis and M30 expression in colonic cancer progression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to identify the significance of M30, an early apoptosis indicator, in colorectal cancer and its liver metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of M30 was immunohistochemically estimated at colonic and liver metastatic tissues of 66 patients. The results were correlated to clinical and pathological features of the tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High expression of M30 was observed in 15.5% of cases. No metastatic tissue showed expression of M30, while stage D tumors (metastasis included) showed a statistic significant lower expression of M30, when compared to earlier tumor stages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low expression of M30 implies the development of resistance mechanisms against apoptosis, facilitating the progression of colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece. kykalos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kykalos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitroulis
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ntikoudi
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karayiannakis
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C491901:FAS protein, human; D053538:Keratin-18; D019014:fas Receptor