BACKGROUND: Survival results of stage II colorectal cancer patients have led to major efforts to identify the subset of patients at risk for disease relapse and adjuvant therapies benefit. Immunohistochemistry is being explored to detect undetectable microscopic lymph node micrometastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a 105 consecutive stage II colorectal cancer patients was performed. Two four-micres sections were obtained from each lymph node. These slides were stained with AE1-AE3 monoclonal antibodies against cytoskeleton using DAKO EnVision visualization system. Micrometastases were identified either as isolated cells or as well-defined glandular cell clusters with cytoplasm but not the nucleus stained with cytoskeleton antibodies. RESULTS: 665 lymph nodes isolated from 105 patients were analyzed. Lymph nodes micrometastases were assessed in 26 out of the 105 patients. 42 (6.3%) out of 665 lymph nodes were infiltrated. Most of these metastases consisted of isolated cell cluster localized in marginal and interfollicular sinus of lymph nodes. The relapse rate was 23.1% among the patients with immunohistochemical detected lymph node micrometastes and 20.3% for the patients without lymph node involvement. This result lacked statistical significance (p = 0.759). DISCUSSION: AE1/AE3 lymph node immunohistochemical staining in stage II colorectal cancer is an interesting biological phenomenon but it fails to identify patients at higher risk of relapse who deserve a more aggressive adjuvant attitude.
BACKGROUND: Survival results of stage II colorectal cancerpatients have led to major efforts to identify the subset of patients at risk for disease relapse and adjuvant therapies benefit. Immunohistochemistry is being explored to detect undetectable microscopic lymph node micrometastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a 105 consecutive stage II colorectal cancerpatients was performed. Two four-micres sections were obtained from each lymph node. These slides were stained with AE1-AE3 monoclonal antibodies against cytoskeleton using DAKO EnVision visualization system. Micrometastases were identified either as isolated cells or as well-defined glandular cell clusters with cytoplasm but not the nucleus stained with cytoskeleton antibodies. RESULTS: 665 lymph nodes isolated from 105 patients were analyzed. Lymph nodes micrometastases were assessed in 26 out of the 105 patients. 42 (6.3%) out of 665 lymph nodes were infiltrated. Most of these metastases consisted of isolated cell cluster localized in marginal and interfollicular sinus of lymph nodes. The relapse rate was 23.1% among the patients with immunohistochemical detected lymph node micrometastes and 20.3% for the patients without lymph node involvement. This result lacked statistical significance (p = 0.759). DISCUSSION: AE1/AE3 lymph node immunohistochemical staining in stage II colorectal cancer is an interesting biological phenomenon but it fails to identify patients at higher risk of relapse who deserve a more aggressive adjuvant attitude.
Authors: Ahmedin Jemal; Ram C Tiwari; Taylor Murray; Asma Ghafoor; Alicia Samuels; Elizabeth Ward; Eric J Feuer; Michael J Thun Journal: CA Cancer J Clin Date: 2004 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 508.702
Authors: C G Moertel; T R Fleming; J S Macdonald; D G Haller; J A Laurie; C M Tangen; J S Ungerleider; W A Emerson; D C Tormey; J H Glick; M H Veeder; J A Mailliard Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 1995-03-01 Impact factor: 25.391
Authors: J M Fernández-Cebrián; M Nevado Santos; P Vorwald Kuborn; M Pardo de Lama; J Martín-Cavanna; P Pacheco Martínez; B Fernández Escudero; M Ramos Fernández Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2007-10 Impact factor: 3.405
Authors: Mark Davies; Ponnandai J Arumugam; Varsha I Shah; Alun Watkins; Andrew Roger Morgan; Nicholas D Carr; John Beynon Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2008-03 Impact factor: 3.405