Apoptosis in relation to proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Dukes' stage in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Colorectal cancer is a disease that is associated with default in the balan ce of apoptotic regulation. In the present study apoptosis was examined in 158 colorectal adenocarcinomas using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transfer ase mediated digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. The median apopt otic index (AI) was 0.95% (range 0-6.68%). Eighty-two tumours exhibited AI less than or equal to 0.95% and 76 tumours showed AI >0.95%. We revealed a positive correlation between apoptosis and proliferation determined as the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA, p=0.002). The frequ ency of apoptosis increased from Dukes' stage A, B, C to D (p=0.01). No cor relations were found between apoptosis and the patients' sex, age, tumour l ocation, growth pattern, differentiation, prognosis, bcl-2, p53 or K-ras. O ur findings suggest that we should further investigate the relationship bet ween apoptosis and cellular proliferative activity in colorectal cancer to evaluate whether this might provide additional information in the selection of patients for effective adjuvant therapy.