Expression of the Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (IGFBPs) in Colon Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the hypothesis that tussue IGFBP-2,-3, and -4 levels would differ between colon cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue and to determine whether these factors could affect the clinicopathologic characteristics such as age, tumor stage, differentiation, serosal invasion, and CEA in patients with colon cancer. Methods: This study group consisted of 102 patients with colorectal cancer who under went operations between January 2004 and December 2006. Postoperative colon cancer specimens and adjacent normal colon tissues were obtained immediately. Histopathologic examinations were made by on pathologist for each specimen. The gene expressions of IGFBP-2,-3,-4 in cancer and normal tissues were measured using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In additional, the various clinicopathologic factors were evaluated for both tissues by comparing the IGFBP-2, -3, -4 expression densities. Results: No significant difference was found in the expression of IGFBP-3, -4 between colon cancer and normal colon tissues. A statistically significant expression of IGFBP-2 was detected in the cancer specimens compared with the normal colon tissues. IGFBP-3 was significantly associated with pathologic N stage. Conclusions: This is a rare report comparing colon cancer with normal colon tissue for IGFBP expression by means of a systemical evaluation of colon cancer patients. Our data suggest that IGFBP-2 may be intimately associated with malignant phenotypes, and may confer some growth advantage on tumor cells, which means that IGFBP-2 shows a high sensitivity for colorectal cancer. Interestingly, IGFBP-3 was strongly associated with the pathologic N stage. We think further studies are needed to understand this phenomenon.