BACKGROUND: The rate of cancer cell growth depends on proliferative activity and on the tumor cell death rate. The study objective was to assess the expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 in colorectal cancer and to analyze the correlation between the expressions and chosen anatomo-clinical parameters (patient's age, tumor location, lymph node metastases). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study material included primary tumors pT3 G2 obtained from 55 patients with colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemical investigations were performed using monoclonal antibodies (Ki-67- monoclonal mouse (DAKO) Clone MIB1, PCNA-monoclonal mouse (DAKO) Clone PC10, MCM2-polyclonal goat (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) Sc-9839) directed against human protein Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2. RESULTS: The expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 were found to correlate with the presence of lymph node metastases, but not with patient age or tumor location. The expressions of these proteins in the main tumor mass correlated with each other in the majority of patients. CONCLUSION: The findings allow the assumption that positive expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 in the main tumor mass in pathological stage pT3 and degree of histological malignancy G2 may indicate lymph node involvement.
BACKGROUND: The rate of cancer cell growth depends on proliferative activity and on the tumor cell death rate. The study objective was to assess the expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 in colorectal cancer and to analyze the correlation between the expressions and chosen anatomo-clinical parameters (patient's age, tumor location, lymph node metastases). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study material included primary tumors pT3 G2 obtained from 55 patients with colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemical investigations were performed using monoclonal antibodies (Ki-67- monoclonal mouse (DAKO) Clone MIB1, PCNA-monoclonal mouse (DAKO) Clone PC10, MCM2-polyclonal goat (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) Sc-9839) directed against human protein Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2. RESULTS: The expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 were found to correlate with the presence of lymph node metastases, but not with patient age or tumor location. The expressions of these proteins in the main tumor mass correlated with each other in the majority of patients. CONCLUSION: The findings allow the assumption that positive expressions of Ki-67, PCNA and MCM2 in the main tumor mass in pathological stage pT3 and degree of histological malignancy G2 may indicate lymph node involvement.