The expression and clinical significance of STAT3 in colorectal cancer / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in colorectal car- cinoma tissues and adenomatous polyp tissues, and analyze the relationship between the expression of STAT3 and its clinicopathological pa- rameters in colorectal carcinoma tissues. Methods The protein expressions of STAT3 were detected in 40 colorectal carcinoma tissues, 30 adenomatons polyp tissues and 30 normal colorectal mucosa tissues by MaxVisionTM immunohistochemistry, and the relationship with clinical data were analyzed. Results The STAT3 protein was located mainly in cytoplasm. Positive expression rates of STAT3 protein in colorectal carcinoma tissues, adenomatous polyp tissues and normal colorectal mucosa tissues were 80.0%, 56.7% and 30.0%, respectively. The ex- pression of STAT3 protein in colorectal carcinoma tissues was higher than that in edenomatous polyp tissues (P<0.05 ). Compared with normal colorectal mucosa tissues, the positive expression rates and intensities of STAT3 protein in colorectal carcinoma tissues and adenoma- tous polyp tissues were significantly higher(P<0.05 ) . It was found that overexpreesion of STAT3 protein was related te differentiation, Dukes stage and lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma ( P < 0. 05 ), and no significant differences were found between STAT3 pro- tein expression and other factors such as serosa invasion, distant metastasis , age and gender( P<0.05 ). Conclusions The overexpres- sion of STAT3 protein may play an important role in the genesis and progression of colorectal cancer. In adenomatous polyp tissues, STAT3- positive cells may be potential pre-cancerous cells. Detection of STA'r3 is helpful in accessing the malignant degree and the biological behav- ior of colorectal cancer.