title: Clinical significance and prognostic value of Nek2 protein expression in colon cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the expression of NIMA-related kinase NEK2 and evaluate its clinical value in colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty specimens of colon cancer, 30 specimens of paracancerous colon tissues and 10 specimens of normal colon tissues conventionally resected in surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from February 2006 to February 2014 were collected. These tissues were detected for the expression of Nek2 using Western Blot and immunohistochemical staining. The relationship between Nek2 protein expression and the clinicopathology and prognosis of colon tissues was discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression level and positive expression rate of Nek2 protein in the colon cancer were obviously higher than that in the paracancerous tissues and normal colon tissues. They were also significantly higher in the paracancerous tissues than in the normal tissues (P<0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that Nek2 protein expression was not obviously correlated with gender, age and tumor size, but obviously correlated with degree of differentiation (P=0.008), TNM staging (P=0.000), lymph node metastasis (P=0.022) and tumor invasion (P=0.011). With the plotting of Kaplan-Meier survival curve, it could be seen that Nek2 protein expression was not significantly correlated with survival (P=0.0048). High Nek2 protein expression may be an independent risk factor for colon cancer (HR=0.227, 95% CI 0.101-0.510).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High Nek2 protein expression reflects the malignant behavior of colon cancer. Playing important roles in the occurrence of colon cancer, Nek2 protein expression has diagnostic and prognostic value in colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated 2nd Hospital of Nantong University Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated 2nd Hospital of Nantong University Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated 2nd Hospital of Nantong University Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ronghua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002681:China; D003082:Colectomy; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C089441:NEK2 protein, human; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Colon cancer; Nek2; expression; prognosis
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