title: c-MET immunostaining in colorectal carcinoma is associated with local disease recurrence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor gene (c-MET) expression in several human malignancies is related to increased tumour progression. The aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between immunohistochemical expression of c-MET in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and the clinicopathological characteristics and follow up data, to compare the expression of c-MET in primary CRC and its metastasis in lymph nodes and to test its validity as independent prognostic factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred and thirty-five archival CRC and nodal metastases samples were collected from King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia. Tissue microarrays were constructed and immunohistochemistry was done to detected c-MET protein expression. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High c-MET immunostaining was significantly associated with tumour size larger than 5 cm (p < 0.003) and in left colon subsite (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between c-MET protein expression and age, sex, degree of differentiation, tumour invasion, presence of nodal metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, status of surgical resection margin, or presence of distant metastasis. Furthermore, no association between c-MET protein expression and disease free survival. High protein expression of c-MET is associated with the incidence of local disease recurrence (p < 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  c-MET is a new promising target that may help in understanding the pathogenesis of CRC, and to be used as independent prognostic biomarker to predict local disease recurrence in CRC. Further molecular in vitro and in vivo studies are required to pursue c-MET as potential molecular marker of metastases and test the possibility of its incorporation as a new targeted therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Scientific Chair for Colorectal Cancer, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. jalmaghrabi@hotmail.com.|Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80205, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. jalmaghrabi@hotmail.com.|Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. jalmaghrabi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jaudah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Maghrabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80205, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. iman.emam20@gmail.com.|Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. iman.emam20@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Emam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80205, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. wafgom@yahoo.com.|Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Al Minia, Egypt. wafgom@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Wafaey
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gomaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80205, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. mo3athe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Moaath
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saggaf
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. buhmeida7@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abdelbaset
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buhmeida
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. mhalqahtani@kau.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Qahtani
authors.affiliation: Scientific Chair for Colorectal Cancer, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. mahwal@kau.edu.sa.|Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. mahwal@kau.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Ahwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met