title: The prognostic value of microRNA-126 and microvessel density in patients with stage II colon cancer: results from a population cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in malignant tumour growth and the metastatic process. We analysed the prognostic value of two angiogenesis parameters, microRNA-126 (miRNA-126) and microvessel density (MVD), in a population based cohort of patients operated for stage II colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 560 patients were included. Analyses were performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue from the primary tumours. The analysis of miRNA-126 expression was performed by qPCR. Microvessels were visualised by CD105 and quantified in hot spots using a light microscope. The analyses were correlated with recurrence-free cancer specific survival (RF-CSS) and overall survival (OS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low miRNA-126 expression was significantly correlated to T4, high malignancy grade, tumour perforation, fixation, and the presence of microsatellite instability. A prognostic impact on OS was detected in the simple analysis favouring patients with high miRNA-126 expression p = 0.03, and borderline significance as to RF-CSS, p = 0.08. The impact on OS demonstrated borderline significance in a following multiple Cox regression analysis, hazard ratio 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.00), p = 0.051. The MVD estimate was not associated with either RF-CSS, p = 0.49, or OS, p = 0.94.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current population based study of patients operated for stage II colon cancer demonstrated correlations between several prognostic unfavourable characteristics and miRNA-126 and argues for a possible prognostic impact on overall survival. An influence on survival by the MVD estimate was not detected.
authors.forename: Torben Frøstrup
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kjær-Frifeldt
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morgenthaler
authors.forename: Thorarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blondal
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindebjerg
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Flemming Brandt
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D055806:Microvessels; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: C527111:MIRN126 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs