Immunohistochemical expression of thymidylate synthase as a prognostic factor and as a chemotherapeutic efficacy index in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We assessed the importance of Thymidylate Synthase (TS) expression as a prognostic factor and as an index of therapeutic efficacy in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

TS expression in 66 patients with colorectal carcinoma was immunohistochemically assessed using the anti-TS antibody. TS expression, TS activity, clinicopathological characteristics and survival were evaluated and the correlation among them was studied.

RESULTS:

The cases studied included 53 patients with low grade positive/negative and 13 patients with high grade positive TS expression. TS levels were 8.69 +/- 10.01 pmol/g and 14.82 +/- 11.38 pmol/g, respectively. There was not correlation between clinicopathological characteristics and TS expression. Considering TS expression, the 5-year survival rate was significantly better for the 75.5% of the patients with low grade positive/negative TS than for the 38.5% of the patients with high grade positive TS (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION:

The immunohistochemical expression of TS should be further investigated as a prognostic factor of survival and as an index of chemotherapeutic efficacy in colorectal carcinoma.

• Authors: D Tachikawa, S Arima, K Futami
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 2000 Nov-Dec Vol. 20 Issue 6A Pg. 4103-7 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 11131679 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies
• Tegafur
• Uracil
• Thymidylate Synthase

Topics

• Antibodies
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Colorectal Neoplasms (drug therapy, enzymology, pathology, surgery)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multivariate Analysis
• Prognosis
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Survival Analysis
• Tegafur (administration & dosage)
• Thymidylate Synthase (biosynthesis, immunology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Uracil (administration & dosage)