Colorectal Cancer or Colon and Rectal Cancer?

Vol. 73, No. 1-2, 2007

Free Abstract Article (Fulltext) Article (PDF 207 KB)

Clinical Study

Colorectal Cancer or Colon and Rectal Cancer?
Clinicopathological Comparison between Colonic and Rectal Carcinomas
M. Li^a, J.Y. Li^b, A.L. Zhao^b, J. Gu^a

^aGastrointestinal Surgery Unit, and
^bDepartment of Pathology, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China

Address of Corresponding Author

Oncology 2007;73:52-57 (DOI: 10.1159/000120628)

Key Words

Colon cancer
Rectal cancer
Carcinoembryonic antigen
Matrix metalloproteinase 2
p27^kip1

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare features of colon and rectal cancers such as prognosis, clinicopathological features and tumor markers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and p27^kip1. Methods: Two hundred and thirty patients with stage I-III colon or rectal cancer were retrospectively assessed with the endpoint of recurrence or metastasis after curative operation. CEA, MMP-2 and p27^kip1 were studied by immunohistochemistry in cancer tissues of all patients. Results: The disease-free 3-year survival rate after operation of the total 230 patients was 63.0%. The prognosis of colon cancer was significantly better than that of rectal cancer (70.6 vs. 57.0%; p = 0.017), especially for stage III (p = 0.0059). Multivariate analysis also demonstrated that tumor location in the colon or rectum, differentiation, venous invasion and the expression of CEA were independent factors for prognosis. The hazard of recurrence and metastasis in rectal cancer was 1.564 times that in colon cancer. In both groups, there were no statistical differences in age, gender, tumor size, tumor gross type, mucin production, tumor differentiation, venous invasion, MMP-2 and p27^kip1. Conclusion: We investigated prognosis, clinicopathological factors, oncogenes and tumor suppressor gene production in colon and rectal cancers. The prognosis of colon cancer is better than that of rectal cancer, especially for stage III. This study shows some differences between colon and rectal cancer.

Author Contacts

Jin Gu
Beijing Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu-cheng Road, Hai-dian District
Beijing 100036 (China)
Tel. +86 10 8819 6238, Fax +86 10 8812 2437
E-Mail zlguj@bjmu.edu.cn

Article Information

Received: June 26, 2007
Accepted after revision: August 29, 2007
Published online: March 11, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 21

Medline Abstract (ID 18334831)

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