Expression of carbonic anhydrase I or II and correlation to clinical aspects of colorectal cancer

Background/Aims: This study was undertaken to elucidate the correlation bet ween the expression of carbonic anhydrase I or II and the characteristic fe atures of colorectal cancer. Methodology: The carbonic anhydrase I or II expressions of 74 colorectal ca ncer patients were analyzed by Western blotting. The relative intensity Of cancer to the paired normal mucosa was calculated, and then compared with t he clinicopathological parameters. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis for synchronous distant metastasis was undertaken. Results: The expression of carbonic anhydrase I in colon cancer or carbonic anhydrase II in rectal cancer with Duke's D was found to be significantly lower than that with Duke's B or C, respectively. Similarly, carbonic anhyd rase I in colon cancer or carbonic anhydrase II in rectal cancer with moder ate-severe budding was found to be significantly lower than that with none- mild budding, respectively. Based on the findings of a logistic regression analysis, carbonic anhydrase I was adopted for colon cancer (P=0.057) and c arbonic anhydrase II for rectal cancer (P=0.008) regarding synchronous dist ant metastasis. Conclusions: The expressions of carbonic anhydrase I and II correlated with biological aggressiveness of colorectal cancer and synchronous distant met astasis, especially carbonic anhydrase I for colon cancer and carbonic anhy drase II for rectal cancer.