Does CD10 Expression Predict Lymph Node Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer?

Background: Accurate preoperative prediction of lymph node status would be a revolutionary adjunct in treating colorectal cancer. The immunohistochemical marker CD10 has been suggested recently to have a predictive capacity for lymph node involvement in colorectal cancer.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between the presence of the CD10 molecular marker and lymph node metastasis in a US patient population using previously banked colorectal cancer specimens.

Design: This was a retrospective study.

Settings: The study was conducted at a single academic institution.

Patients: Included were specimens from 191 patients, with cancer stages ranging from T1N0 to T3N2.

Main Outcome Measures: The relationship between CD10 and different clinicopathologic parameters was assessed, as well as the ability to predict lymph node metastasis by itself and in conjunction with lymphovascular invasion.

Results: CD10 was significantly correlated with left-sided colon cancers (p = 0.01) and the presence of mucinous histology and had a relatively high specificity (75.7%) for lymph node metastasis. CD10 did not correlate with lymph node status (p = 0.33) or enhance the ability of lymphovascular invasion to predict lymphatic metastasis in our patient population. Sensitivity and specificity of lymphovascular invasion alone for lymph node metastasis were 62.8% and 93.6%, whereas adding CD10 status resulted in a sensitivity of 70.6% and specificity of 69.3%. Multivariate analysis revealed only lymphovascular invasion as a predictor of lymph node metastasis in our patient population.

Limitations: This study was primarily limited by its small sample size and retrospective nature.

Conclusions: In our patient population, CD10 status was not significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, and it was no better than lymphovascular invasion alone when predicting lymph node status.