Clinical significance of myosin in colorectal cancer

Myosin has raised an interest in cancer research because of its role in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical relevance of myosin in colorectal cancer (CC). Myosin was detected in CC tumors with recurrence using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight analysis. An immunohistochemical study was performed using tissue arrays and specific antibodies against myosin heavy chain. Determinations on cancer specimens from 91 patients with resectable CCs were performed. The minimum follow-up period was of 12.5 years for these patients without tumor recurrence. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis were also performed. Samples of carcinomas with recurrence showed an increased expression of myosin. Tumors with high myosin expression by tumor cell were significantly associated with higher probability of metastasis. Our results suggest that myosin expression in CCs is associated with tumor progression and metastasis development. Therefore, myosin tumor expression may contribute to an improved prognostic evaluation in patients with CC.