Overexpression of CD44 as a predictor of metastatic potential in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Objective. To correlate CD44 expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Materials and methods. This study included 90 patients with CRC who underwent curative surgical resection. Standard histopathological techniques and immunohistochemistry analysis was used to investigate CD44 expression. Semi–quantitative scoring was used to categorize CD44 expression levels. Patients' clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively examined. Results. Overexpression of CD44 was found in 46.7% of all patients with CRC. Patients with right colon cancer had the highest CD44 expression (54,6%). Overexpression of CD44 was present in 69.6% of patients with metastatic lesions in visceral organs. We found statistically significant differences between CD44 overexpression and the presence of visceral metastases (p = 0.015), different T categories (p = 0.011), N status (p = 0.006), and G differentiation (p = 0.011). Our results showed that the disease stage has the greatest effect on CD44 overexpression (p <0.001). Conclusion. Overexpression of CD44 could be a reliable predictor of metastatic potential and poor prognosis in patients with CRC.