title: Is neuroendocrine differentiation a prognostic factor in poorly differentiated colorectal cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the prognostic relevance of neuroendocrine differentiation in poorly differentiated colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinicopathological features and survival of 70 patients with poorly differentiated colorectal cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Chromogranin A and synaptophysin were used as neuroendocrine markers. Patients were followed-up for more than 3 years or until death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of these 70 patients, 36 showed neuroendocrine differentiation. In univariate prognostic analysis, the patients with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), advanced TNM stage (P < 0.001), and neuroendocrine differentiation (P = 0.003) tended to have a poor prognosis. However, only lymph node metastasis was associated with a poor prognosis in multivariate analysis (P < 0.001). Patients with neuroendocrine differentiation were associated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neuroendocrine differentiation in poorly differentiated colorectal cancer was not a direct prognostic factor in these patients. Lymph node metastasis was a direct prognostic factor in these patients. Patients with neuroendocrine differentiation were associated with lymph node metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of colorectal surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of colorectal surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China. liufang666555@sina.com.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of colorectal surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingkai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of colorectal surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Siping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; C569014:SYP protein, human; D016708:Synaptophysin
keywords: Lymph node metastasis; Neuroendocrine differentiation; Poorly differentiated colorectal cancer; Prognosis