MRE11 and ATM Expression Levels Predict Rectal Cancer Survival and Their Association with Radiotherapy Response.

Background: Aberrant expression of DNA repair proteins is associated with poor survival in cancer patients. We investigated the combined expression of MRE11 and ATM as a predictive marker of response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Methods: MRE11 and ATM expression were examined in tumor samples from 262 rectal cancer patients who underwent surgery for rectal cancer, including a sub-cohort of 54 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy.