[Thymidine phosphorylase expression in hepatic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma]

Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), and has angiogenic activity. It has been reported that a higher level of dThdPase activity is associated with an unfavorable patient prognosis. The activity of dThdPase was investigated in 15 patients who underwent hepatectomy for hepatic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma, and an assessment was made as to whether its expression was correlated with the prognosis. The dThdPase activity was significantly higher in the patients with extrahepatic metastasis after hepatectomy (n = 5) than in those without extrahepatic metastasis (n = 10) (168.2 +/- 50.8 vs 95.1 +/- 35.2 Unit/mg prot., p < 0.05). This dThdPase activity could be a significant prognostic indicator, and was useful in predicting the extrahepatic recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma.