Prognostic implications of BAX protein expression and microsatellite instability in all non-metastatic stages of primary colon cancer treated by surgery alone.

Purpose: This study examined whether the apoptosis-related protein, BAX, or the microsatellite-instability phenotype provide prognostic information in patients with resected colon cancer.

Methods: A total of 371 stage I-III patients that previously underwent radical surgery were included (mean follow-up 51.8 months).

Studies on p53, BAX and Bcl-2 protein expression and microsatellite instability in stage III (UICC) colon cancer treated by adjuvant chemotherapy: major prognostic impact of proapoptotic BAX.

We evaluated the expression patterns of proapoptotic BAX, antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and p53, the proposed upstream effector of these molecules, as potential prognostic markers in UICC stage III colon cancer by immunohistochemical staining. To identify high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI+) individuals, we performed single-strand conformation polymorphism-based analysis for BAT26. A total of 188 patients who had received 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based adjuvant chemotherapy (5-FU/folinic acid or 5-FU/levamisole) were enrolled.

Low BAX protein expression correlates with disease recurrence in preoperatively irradiated rectal carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the prognostic impact of BAX in correlation to its upstream effector p53 as well as clinicopathologic variables and patient outcome in preoperatively irradiated rectal carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: We investigated 92 rectal carcinoma patients treated by preoperative radiotherapy to a total dose of 30 Gy followed by surgery. Median follow-up was 71 months.

Molecular lesions in colorectal cancer: impact on prognosis? Original data and review of the literature.

Background: In the Dukes' B and C stages of colorectal carcinoma there are considerable variations in the observed courses of the disease. Since post-operative chemotherapy in patients with Dukes' C (node-positive) colon carcinoma has been demonstrated to be effective in improving overall-survival, a more exact prognosis assessment gains additional significance and therapeutic relevance.

Discussion: One also hopes to derive improved prognostic factors from the clarification of the molecular pathogenesis.

The prognostic value of S-phase fraction in preoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

The aim of this study was to analyze the flow cytometric S-phase fraction (SPF) in rectal tumors before and after preoperative radiotherapy (15x2 Gy) and to compare the findings to the clinical outcome. Archival specimens from 84 cases, treated from 1980 to 1988 with S-phase data and complete follow-up were reviewed. There was no significant correlation between SPF and clinicopathological factors.