ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Tumor recurrence results from the incomplete removal of cancer stem cel s with self-renewal characteristics, and then how to label and eliminate cancer stem cel s becomes the key to cancer treatment. OBJECTIVE:To observe the morphology,distribution and number of CD44+/C-myc+METHODS:Pathological tissues from 150 patients with colorectal cancer were taken to prepare tissue microarray, in order to observe and count CD44 cel s in colorectal cancer, and to explore the relationship between the expression and postoperative metastasis.+/C-myc+cel s by using immunohistochemical double staining. Patients were fol owed up through mobile phones , letters , and so on, and the relationship between the expression of CD44+/C-myc+cel s and postoperative metastasis were statistical y recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no CD44+/C-myc+cel s in normal tissue and little in adenoma. A smal number of CD44+/C-myc+cel s distributed as dots or focal lesions in adenocarcinoma. The number of CD44+/C-myc+cel s was related to the degree of adenocarcinoma differentiation, depth of invasion, and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The univariate analysis showed that the overal survival rate and progression-free survival rate were associated with the number of CD44+/C-myc+cel s, lymph node metastasis and Ducks staging in adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that the overal survival rate was related to CD44+/C-myc+cel amount and the progression-free survival rate was related to CD44+/C-myc+cel amount and the Ducks staging. Therefore, CD44+/C-myc+cel s are probably cancer stem cel s, and Ducks staging and CD44+/C-myc+cel amount are important prognostic factors for colorectal cancer.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:More and more studies employ CD44 as a specific marker of colorectal cancer stem cells. Oct4 is a transcription factor of embryonic stem cells, and it has been discovered recently that there is a higher expression in primary colorectal carcinoma. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the quantity, location and distribution of CD44+/Oct4+cells in primary colorectal carcinoma. METHODS:A total y of 108 cases of human colorectal carcinoma and 18 cases of normal mucosa, 18 cases of adenoma were col ected and made into three tissue microarrays, each containing of 48 dots. The locations of CD44+/Oct4+cells were detected by double-label immunohistochemical staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The morphologic features of them were investigated on hematoxylin-eosin staining at the same position. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of double-label immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that there were no CD44+/Oct4+cells in normal intestine mucosa and a very smal amount of CD44+/Oct4+cells in adenoma, and double-positive cells could also be seen in colorectal carcinoma. The number of CD44+/Oct4+cells was rare and the cells were scattered or distributed focal y along the basement of gland basal side. The cells with scarce cytoplasm were square, and its nucleus was oval or high cylindrical, deeply stained and homogeneous. The quantity of CD44+/Oct4+cells was negatively correlated with the differentiation of colorectal cancer (r=-0.579, P<0.01), and was associated with the depth of tumor invasion (r=0.236, P<0.05). These findings indicate that CD44+/Oct4+cells may be colorectal cancer stem cells.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells have bean a hot topic in life science research. EpCAMhigh/CD44+ colorectal cancer stem cells are beneficial to observe morphological characteristics and distribution of cancer stem cells.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the quantity, location, distribution and hematoxylin-easin staining morphologic features of colorectal cancer stem cells (Co-CSCs).DESIGN, "rIME AND SETrlNG: The observational study was performed at the Department of Pathology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA from March to August 2008.MATERIALS: A total of 67 colorectal cancer paraffin embedding samples were collected from 200512007 archive at the Department of Pathology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA, comprising 27 males and 40 females, aged 29 90 years.METHODS: EpCAM and CD44 was used to label cancer stem cells in paraffin embedding colorectal cancer samples. The locations of EpCAM and CD44 double positive cells were detected by SP(streptavidin HRP) immunohistochemical staining and double immunohistochemical staining. The morphologic features of them were investigated on hematoxylin-easin staining at the same position.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number, location, distribution of EpCAM and CD44-posltive cells, and morphology following hematoxylin-eosin staining.RESULTS: The number of double-positive cells accounted for 0.1% to 30.0% of all tumor cells, and the cells were scattered or distributed focally along the basement of glandular-like structure. The cells with scarcely cytoplasm were cube or oval, and its nucleus was oval or high cylindrical, deep stained and homogeneous; The quantity of double-positive cells were negatively correlated with the differentiation of colorectal cancer.CONCLUSION: Cancer stem cells are the causes of tumor development, metastasis and recurrence and drug resistance. To observe the number, location, distribution and morphology of Co-CSCs and to analyze the relationship between Co-CSCs and pathological parameters will provide guidance for the diagnosis, staging, prognostic evaluation and clinical prognosis of cotorectal carcinoma.