Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
STRAP is a strong predictive marker of adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in colorectal cancer
Martin Buess1, Luigi Terracciano, Jurgen Reuter
1Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel CH-4031, Switzerland.
Background:
Molecular predictors for the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer are of considerable clinical interest. To this aim, we analyzed the serine threonine receptor-associated protein (STRAP), an inhibitor of TGF-beta signaling, with regard to prognosis and prediction of adjuvant 5-FU chemotherapy benefit.
Methods:
The gene copy status of STRAP was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 166 colorectal tumor biopsies, which had been collected from a randomized multicenter trial of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/mitomycin C (MMC) adjuvant chemotherapy of the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK).
Results:
Amplification of STRAP was found in 22.8% of the tumors. When left without adjuvant chemotherapy, patients bearing tumors with a STRAP amplification had a significantly better prognosis (hazard ratio for death: 0.26; P=.004). Interestingly, these patients, when receiving adjuvant treatment, had a worse survival (hazard ratio for death: 3.48; P=.019) than without chemotherapy, whereas patients carrying tumors with diploidy or deletion of STRAP benefited from the treatment (hazard ratio for death: 0.44; P=.052). This suggests the amplification of STRAP as a strong predictor of an unfavorable effect of 5-FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy.
Conclusion:
If confirmed, the STRAP gene copy status might provide a parameter to decide about the use of 5-FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy.
