Loss of RNA-binding motif protein 3 expression is associated with right-sided localization and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
RNA-binding motif protein 3 (RBM3) has recently been suggested as a prognostic biomarker in an array of human cancers. This study aimed to examine its effects in colorectal cancers.


RESULTS
RBM3 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray containing 1800 colorectal cancers (CRCs). Nuclear RBM3 immunohistochemical staining was found in 95.9% of all interpretable CRCs. Loss of RBM3 expression was linked to advanced tumour stage (P < 0.0001), right-sided tumour localization (P < 0.0001), and poor prognosis (P = 0.0003). In a multivariable analysis including RBM3 staining, tumour grade, tumour stage, and nodal status, only tumour stage and nodal status proved to be independent prognostic markers (P < 0.0001 each), whereas the prognostic impact of RBM3 staining was not significant (P = 0.2655).


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations indicate that loss of RBM3 expression is an unfavourable prognostic marker in CRC, and is linked to right-sided tumour localization.
Department of Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Nathaniel
N
Melling
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Ronald
R
Simon
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Martina
M
Mirlacher
Department of Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Jakob R
JR
Izbicki
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Philip
P
Stahl
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Luigi M
LM
Terracciano
Department of Oncology, Haematology, BMT with section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Cancer Centre, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Carsten
C
Bokemeyer
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Guido
G
Sauter
Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Andreas H
AH
Marx
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C099506:RBM3 protein, human; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
RBM3; colorectal cancer; tissue microarray