Tissue Expression of the Proteins Fas and Fas Ligand in Colorectal Cancer and Liver Metastases

Abstract

Our purpose is to study the clinical significance of Fas/FasL expression in colon cancer and liver metastases (LM). The expression of Fas/FasL in 68 patients with colon cancer was examined immunohistochemically and correlated to the clinicopathological features of the tumors. High expression of FasL, was observed in stage D and in LM (p=0.024). Fas expression was reduced in stage D tumors and in LM, when compared to earlier stages of disease (p=0.024). LM had also shown a decreased expression of Fas (p=0.016). Tumors with low FasL expression upregulate more often their Fas expression (p = 0.028). No correlation could be established regarding the patients survival. Low expression of Fas and high expression of FasL are more often in colon tumor stage D and in liver metastasis; these imply tumor aggression, resistance against apoptosis, and could be held as negative prognostic factors.