title: Transketolase-like protein 1 expression predicts poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transketolase-like protein 1 (TKTL1) is an isoform of tranketolase, a key protein in a cancer cell's glucose metabolism that causes rapid cell growth and controls the non-oxidative part of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Its overexpression occurs in several human cancer types. Our purpose was to study whether TKTL1 expression in colorectal cancer tissue associates with these patients' prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected retrospectively patient data and tissue samples from 840 colorectal cancer patients treated at Helsinki University Hospital, then stained tumor tissue microarrays for TKTL1 by immunohistochemistry, and compared immunohistochemical tissue expression with clinico-pathological parameters and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High expression of TKTL1 associated with high Dukes stage, non-mucinous adenocarcinoma, and left-sided disease. Patients with high TKTL1 expression had poorer prognosis than those with low expression, with a 5-year disease-specific survival of 55.7% vs. 62.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We show that high TKTL1 in tumor tissue can lead to poor survival in colorectal cancer. TKTL1 thus can serve as a candidate marker for identifying patients at risk of recurrent disease.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Surgery , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.|b Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahopelto
authors.affiliation: b Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.|c Department of Surgery , Vaasa Central Hospital , Vaasa , Finland.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Böckelman
authors.affiliation: b Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.|d Department of Pathology and Oral Pathology , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hagström
authors.affiliation: a Department of Surgery , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.|b Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Selja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koskensalo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Surgery , University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.|b Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Caj
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haglund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010427:Pentose Phosphate Pathway / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014174:Transketolase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C505431:TKTL1 protein, human; D014174:Transketolase
keywords: Colon cancer; TKTL1; colorectal cancer; immunohistochemistry; prognosis; rectal cancer; tumor marker