βIII-tubulin overexpression is linked to left-sided tumor localization and nuclear β-catenin expression in colorectal cancer

Introduction/Background

βIII-tubulin expression correlates with poor outcome in various malignancies.

Materials and methods

βIII-tubulin expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray containing 1800 colorectal cancers. Results were compared to clinic-pathological and molecular parameters.

Results

βIII-tubulin expression was detectable in 79.2% of 1619 interpretable colorectal cancers. Whole tumor slide analysis showed that βIII-tubulin is homogenously expressed in CRC. High βIII-tubulin expression was associated with left-sided tumor localization (p=0.0303) and nuclear β-catenin expression (p=0.003). High βIII-tubulin expression was not linked to the gender of the patient (p=0.5842).

When all tumors were analyzed the prognostic role of βIII-tubulin expression was not independent of pT stage, pN stage, tumor grade or tumor localization (p=0.0517).

Conclusion

βIII-tubulin expression is not an independent prognostic parameter in colorectal cancer. The significant association with left-sided tumor localization and a key genomic alteration of colorectal cancer such as β-catenin suggest interaction with important pathways involved in colorectal cancer.