title: Stage-stratified analysis of prognostic significance of Bax-interacting factor-1 expression in resected colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bax-interacting factor-1 (Bif-1) plays a crucial role in apoptosis and autophagy. The aim of this study was to evaluate Bif-1 protein expression and its prognostic significance in colorectal cancer (CRC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed Bif-1 protein expression in 251 resected specimens from patients with CRC by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarray.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low Bif-1 expression was observed in 131 patients (52.2%) and high Bif-1 expression in 120 patients (47.8%). No significant differences were observed in clinicopathological parameters between patients with high and low Bif-1 expression. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no difference in survival between patients with high and low Bif-1 expression. Stratified analysis of Bif-1 according to TNM stage demonstrated that low Bif-1 expression was significantly associated with a poor outcome in patients with stages I and II (P = 0.034). Stratified multivariate analysis demonstrated that low Bif-1 expression was an independent indicator of poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 0.459; 95% confidence interval, 0.285-0.739; P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with low levels of Bif-1 expression have shortened survival rates in CRC of stages I and II. This suggests that Bif-1 protein expression may be a useful prognostic marker in early-stage CRC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu 480-717, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Young-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hye Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Ho Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Der Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Soon Uk
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Myung Ah
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C429293:SH3GLB1 protein, human