Plasma protein expression differs between colorectal cancer patients depending on primary tumor location

Colorectal cancer (CRC) includes tumors in the right colon, left colon, and rectum, although they differ significantly from each other in aspects such as prognosis and treatment. Few previous mass spectrometry-based studies have analyzed differences in protein expression depending on the tumor location. In this study, we have used mass spectrometry-based proteomics to analyze plasma samples from 83 CRC patients to study if differences in plasma protein expression can be seen depending on primary tumor location (right colon, left colon, or rectum). Differences were studied between the groups both regardless of and according to tumor stage (II or III). Large differences in plasma protein expression were seen, and we found that plasma samples from patients with rectal cancer separated from samples from patients with colon cancer when analyzed by principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering. Samples from patients with cancer in the right and left colon also tended to separate from each other. Pathway analysis discovered canonical pathways involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation to be enriched. This study will help to further define CRC as distinct entities depending on tumor location, as shown by the widespread differences in plasma protein profile and dysregulated pathways.