p63 Expression is a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• p63 protein is implicated in tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis.
• Elevated p63 expression is observed in several types of malignant tumors.
• The prognostic role of p63 in colorectal cancer (CRC) requires further clinical evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical significance of p63 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC).
• To determine the correlation between p63 levels and clinicopathological factors.
• To assess the impact of p63 expression on patient survival, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Main Methods:

• Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect p63 expression in tumor samples from 66 CRC patients.
• Statistical analyses were performed to correlate p63 expression scores with various clinicopathological parameters.
• Survival analyses, including univariate and multivariate analyses, were conducted to evaluate the prognostic value of p63 for OS and PFS.

Main Results:

• High p63 expression was observed in 47% of CRC cases, while 53% showed low expression.
• p63 expression levels demonstrated a significant correlation with peritumoral deposits (p=0.021).
• Patients with high p63 expression exhibited significantly improved 5-year OS (74% vs. 49%) and PFS (71% vs. 44%) rates compared to those with low p63 expression (p<0.001 for both).
• Multivariate analysis identified p63 expression as an independent prognostic factor for OS (p=0.035).

Conclusions:

• p63 expression is negatively correlated with peritumoral deposits in colorectal cancer.
• High p63 expression is positively associated with improved overall survival and progression-free survival in CRC patients.
• p63 emerges as a promising independent prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer.