Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the immunohistochemical expression of nm23-H1, a putative metastatic suppressor gene, and to correlate its expression with clinicopathologic variables in 75 cases of surgically resected colorectal carcinomas. There appeared to be a trend between increasing relative nm23 protein expression and Dukes' stage, vessel invasion, and metastasis of lymph nodes. nm23 was expressed in 67 cases (89.3%) and increased in cases with lower Dukes' stage (P<0.05) and in cases without vessel invasion (P<0.01) or lymph node metastasis (P<0.01). No significant relationship was observed between the nm23 protein expression and other parameters, such as tumor size, location and differentiation of the tumor. The results suggest that the nm23 protein expression plays a role in the suppression of nodal metastasis and vessel invasion in colorectal carcinomas.

• Keywords: nm23;Colorecatal carcinoma;Dukes' stage;Nodal metastasis