Morphological and genetic abnormalities in prediction of recurrence in radically operated colorectal cancer

Background: We analyzed clinicopathological variables, cell proliferation a ctivity and genetic aberrations related to colorectal cancer in order to re cognize clinically usable predictive markers of cancer recurrence. Material s and Methods: A total of III patients radically operated upon because of p rimary colorectal cancer in 1986-1991 were studied Loss of heterozygosity ( LOH) at 18q21 and replication errors were studied by polymerase chain react ion and fragment analysis. Expression of p53 protein and that of Ki-67 were studied using immunohistochemical methods. Results: LOH at 18q21 was the o nly factor associated with recurrence (P=0.03), and indicated a worse five- year cumulative survival rate (42%) than did LOH-negativity (72%) in cases of Dukes classes B and C. Expression of p53 protein indicated recurrence (P =0.07), short disease-free time and poor survival (P=0.03) in Dukes class A cases. Conclusions: LOH at 18q21 appears useful in predicting recurrence a nd poor survival in cases of Dukes classes B and C, as does p53 expression in class A cases.