Sialyl Lewis X Expression in Vascular Permeating Lesion as a Prognostic Factor of Colorectal Cancer

Kuniya Tanaka

Second Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine (Director: Prof. Hiroshi Shimada)

Significance of Sialyl Lewis X (SLe^x) expression on liver metastasis from colorectal cancer and residual liver recurrence was investigated with special attention to its expression in vascular permeating lesions surrounding the tumor. Using surgical specimens obtained from 78 patients with primary colorectal cancer and 22 patients with liver metastasis, who underwent curative resections, vascular permeating lesions around the tumors were examined immunohistochemically for SLe^x expression with SLe^x monoclonal antibody. Cumulative liver metastasis in SLe^x positive colorectal cancer was significantly higher than that in SLe^x negative colorectal cancer (p<0.01), and 3-year cumulative liver metastasis was 50.0% in positive groups and 35.0% in negative, respectively. Residual liver recurrence in patients underwent hepatectomy was not different between SLe^x positive and negative primary colorectal cancer groups, but it was significantly higher positive SLe^x in liver metastatic lesions than negative SLe^x (p<0.05). Those pathological results indicated that the examination for SLe^x expression in vascular permeating lesions outside of the tumor is useful in evaluating the malignant potential of colorectal cancers.

Key words
liver metastasis of colorectal cancer, residual liver recurrence, Sialyl Lewis X, vascular permeation

Reprint requests
Kuniya Tanaka Second Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine
3-9, Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236 JAPAN

Accepted
September 11, 1996

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