P-005 Prognostic significance of the frequency of primary cilia in cells of small bowel and colorectal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Purpose: The primary cilium is a solitary, sensory, immotile microtubule-based structure that arises from the centrosome and is projected from the surface of most human cell types. It has been hypothesized that primary cilia could serve as a tumor suppressor organelle. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the presence and frequency of primary cilia in cells of small bowel and colorectal adenocarcinoma and to evaluate the prognostic significance of their frequency. Methods: The presence of primary cilia in cells in samples of small bowel (8 patients) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (32 patiens) was evaluated. The primary cilia of cells were immunofluorescently labeled using primary monoclonal anti-acetylated alpha-tubulin antibody and cell nuclei were labeled using DAPI. Results: Primary cilia were identified in all examined specimens. The median frequency of primary cilia was 0.49% in cells of small bowel cancer and 0.22% in cells in colorectal cancer. Overall survival according to frequency of primary cilia in all intestinal adenocarcinomas was significantly longer in patients with higher frequency (>= 0.187) than in patients with lower frequency of primary cilia ( = 0.187) than in patients with lower frequency of primary cilia (< 0.187) (p=0.028). Conclusions: The present pilot study provides the first evidence of the prognostic significance of the frequency of primary cilia in small bowel and colorectal adenocarcinoma. Because of significantly higher median frequency of primary cilia in the rare small bowel adenocarcinoma than in the frequent colorectal adenocarcinoma (p<0.001), the results of this study support a potential role for primary cilia as a biomarker in these types of cancer.