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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
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A Next-generation Tissue Microarray (ngTMA) Protocol for Biomarker Studies
Published on: September 23, 2014
Molecular and clinico-pathological markers in rectal cancer: a tissue micro-array study
Annelies Debucquoy1, Laurence Goethals, Louis Libbrecht
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Annelies.debucquoy@med.kuleuven.be
International Journal of Colorectal Disease
|December 4, 2008
Summary
Pre-operative treatment impacts rectal cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Fibro-inflammatory changes and COX-2 expression in biopsies predict patient survival.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Advanced rectal cancer treatment often involves pre-operative (chemo)radiotherapy.
- Understanding treatment-induced molecular changes is crucial for predicting patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of pre-operative treatment on tumor-related protein expression in advanced rectal cancer.
- To correlate these protein expression changes with treatment response and patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Tissue microarrays from 99 rectal cancer patients before and after pre-operative (chemo)radiotherapy.
- Immunohistochemical staining for EGFR, carbonic anhydrase IX, Ki67, VEGF, COX-2, and c-CK18.
- Evaluation of post-treatment fibro-inflammatory alterations.
Main Results:
- Pre-operative (chemo)radiotherapy induced fibro-inflammatory changes, decreased proliferation (Ki67), and EGFR expression, while increasing apoptosis (c-CK18).
- Good tumor regression correlated with reduced proliferating and apoptotic cells.
- Multivariate analysis identified T downstaging, fibro-inflammatory changes, and COX-2 expression as survival predictors.
Conclusions:
- Pre-operative treatment significantly alters proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and EGFR expression in rectal cancer.
- Fibro-inflammatory changes and COX-2 expression are valuable prognostic markers for survival in advanced rectal cancer.
