title: SPARC: As a prognostic biomarker in rectal cancer patients treated with chemo-radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to search the prognostic value of SPARC expression in rectum cancer cases receiving postoperative radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty three rectal cancer patients are recruited to this retrospective study. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy which the median dose was 5040 cGy and concomitant chemotherapy. Samples taken from their paraffin blocks were examined with immunohistochemical procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the association between SPARC expression and the clinicopathological feature was examined, there was a significant association between age and expression levels. Overall survival of patients with low expression was found to be 67 months whereas the overall survival of the patients with high expression was 32 months and the difference was statistically significant. Time to local recurrence of patients with low expression was found to be 74 months whereas time to local recurrence of the patients with high expression was 31 months. Progression free survival of the patients with low expression and high expression were 67 months and 32 months, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analyses, high expression of SPARC was found to be associated with a statistically significant shorter overall survival and progression free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High expression of SPARC is related to worse prognosis in rectal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sütçü İmam, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurtul
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kayseri Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdem Arzu
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Taşdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Kayseri Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ünal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sütçü İmam, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: İzmirli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Celalettin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eroglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D015676:Osteonectin / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015676:Osteonectin; C577241:SPARC protein, human
keywords: Prognosis; SPARC; rectal cancer