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CXCR4 as a novel predictive biomarker for metastasis and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer

Tumor Biology volume 35, pages 4171–4175 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The clinical significance of CXCR4 expression in colorectal cancer remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and regulatory effects of CXCR4 in colorectal cancer and the association between CXCR4 protein expression and prognosis. The mRNA and protein expression levels of CXCR4 were determined using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively, and the relationship between the CXCR4 protein level and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed in 720 cases of colorectal cancer. CXCR4 expression was elevated in colorectal cancer tissues compared to pericancerous tissues (P = 0.001). Of the 720 enrolled cases, 208 (28.89 %) expressed CXCR4. In univariate analysis, CXCR4 was found to be associated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and liver metastasis (P = 0.001, 0.001, and 0.012, respectively). Further multivariate analysis suggested that histological grade, TNM stage, and CXCR4 expression were related to liver metastasis (P = 0.020, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively). In the Cox regression test, the histological grade, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, liver metastasis, and CXCR4 expression were found to be independent prognostic factors (P = 0.02, 0.045, 0.01, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). CXCR4 protein may be a potential biomarker for liver metastasis and an independent marker for survival in colorectal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No:30973502) and Liaoning Provincial Science and technology plan program(No:2012225072).

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China

    Ying Gao

  2. Anorectal Branch, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China

    Chunyu Li, Yao Lu, Shunsen Lin & Peng Yuan

  3. Integrated Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, 110003, China

    Min Nie

  4. Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China

    Xun Sun

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  1. Ying Gao
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  2. Chunyu Li
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  3. Min Nie
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  4. Yao Lu
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  5. Shunsen Lin
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  6. Peng Yuan
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  7. Xun Sun
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Correspondence to Chunyu Li.

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Gao, Y., Li, C., Nie, M. et al. CXCR4 as a novel predictive biomarker for metastasis and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. Tumor Biol. 35, 4171–4175 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-013-1545-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-013-1545-x

Keywords

  • Colorectal cancer
  • CXCR4
  • Metastasis
  • Prognosis