title: High copy number of mitochondrial DNA predicts poor prognosis in patients with advanced stage colon cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this investigation was to determine whether alterations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in colon cancer were associated with clinicopathological parameters and postsurgical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  By quantitative real-time PCR assay, the mtDNA copy number was detected in a cohort of colon cancer and matched adjacent colon tissues (n = 162).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients had higher mtDNA content in colon cancer tissues than matched adjacent colon tissues. Moreover, high mtDNA content in tumor tissues was associated with larger tumor size, higher serum CEA level, advanced TNM stage, vascular emboli, and liver metastases. Further survival curve analysis showed that high mtDNA content was related to the worst survival in patients with colon cancer at advanced TNM stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High mtDNA content is a potential effective factor of poor prognosis in patients with advanced stage colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University, Xian - China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University, Xian - China.
authors.forename: Shuixiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang - China.
authors.forename: Xingmei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ordnance Industry 521 Hospital, Xian - China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University, Xian - China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial