Cancer-type OATP1B3 mRNA has the potential to become a detection and prognostic biomarker for human colorectal cancer.

Aim: We aimed to clarify diagnostic and prognostic biomarker potentials of cancer-type organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B3 (Ct-OATP1B3) mRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Patients & Methods: Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA levels in 97 CRC and adjacent normal colon tissues were measured by real-time PCR. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and the Kaplan-Meier curve analysis were performed to characterize its biomarker potentials.

Results: Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA showed noticeable diagnostic power (the area under the receiver operating characteristic = 0.91) in the CRC patients. Additionally, the higher/lower mRNA expression was clearly associated with better/poorer overall survival in the CRC patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA has the potential to be a tissue-based biomarker for definitive diagnosis and prognostic stratification in CRC.