title: Aurora Kinase A Is a Prognostic Marker in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aurora kinase A (AURKA), or STK15/BTAK, is a member of the serine/threonine kinase family and plays important roles in mitosis and chromosome stability. This study investigated the clinical significance of AURKA expression in colorectal cancer patients in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  AURKA protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 151 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma using tissue microarray blocks. We analyzed the relationship between clinicopathological characteristics and AURKA expression. In addition, the prognostic significance of various clinicopathological data for progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed. Also we evaluated copy number variations by array comparative genomic hybridization andAURKAgene amplification using fluorescencein situhybridization in colorectal carcinoma tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AURKAgene amplification was found more frequently in the 20q13.2-13.33 gain-positive group than the group with no significant gain on theAURKA-containing locus. AURKA protein expression was detected in 45% of the cases (68/151). Positive staining for AURKA was observed more often in male patients (p = .035) and distally located tumors (p = .021). PFS was shorter in patients with AURKA expression compared to those with low-level AURKA expression (p < .001). Univariate analysis revealed that AURKA expression (p = .001), age (p = .034), lymphatic invasion (p = .001), perineural invasion (p = .002), and TNM stage (p = .013) significantly affected PFS. In a multivariate analysis of PFS, a Cox proportional hazard model confirmed that AURKA expression was an independent and significant prognostic factor in colorectal adenocarcinoma (hazard ratio, 3.944; p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AURKA could serve as an independent factor to predict a poor prognosis in Korean colorectal adenocarcinoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Geun
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Lim
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sill
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Weon Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Maeng
keywords: Aurora kinase A; Colorectal adenocarcinoma; Prognosis