Expression of growth hormone receptor and growth hormone in colorectal carcinoma

The aims of this study were to determine and compare the expression of growth hormone and growth hormone receptor in primary colorectal adenocarcinoma, regional lymph node metastases and unaffected adjacent bowel wall, and to correlate the expression of growth hormone and growth hormone receptor with clinicopathologic and survival data of the patients.

Expression of growth hormone and growth hormone receptor were immunohistochemically analyzed in tumor, lymph node metastases and unaffected adjacent colorectal mucosa from 48 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Only the patients with long-term follow-up and known modalities of treatment and outcome were included in the study.

Increased expression of growth hormone receptor showed statistically significant correlation with recurrence of the disease and survival (p < 0.05), while expression of growth hormone had no significant connection with same data (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference between the expression of growth hormone and growth hormone receptor and the age, and gender of the patients, tumor diameter, and Dukes and Astler-Coller stage (p > 0.05).

Our data demonstrate that growth hormone receptor and growth hormone are frequently expressed in colorectal carcinomas. Patients with increased expression of growth hormone receptor had more common recurrence of the disease and shorter survival.