Purpose: E2F-1 is a transcriptor that converts G1 to S in the cell cycle, and Topoisomerase II-α is a key enzyme in the metabolism of DNA, and an indicator of cell replication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical validity of E2F-1 and Topoisomerase II-α as prognostic factors in colorectal cancer.
Methods: The expressions of E2F-1 and Topoisomerase II-α were studied immunohistochemically using tumor specimen sections fixed with formalin and paraffin-embedded for 84 cases of colorectal cancer. The correlation between E2F1 and Topoisomerase II-α expressions, and their relationship with the clinicopathological factors, such as tumor differentiation, tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor stage were investigated.
Results: Of the 84 specimens, 43 (51.2%) were immunohistochemically negative for E2F-1, and 41 (48.8%) were positive. The expression of E2F-1 correlated with poor tumor differentiation, increased lymph node metastasis and high tumor stage. The expression of Topoisomerase II-α also correlated with poor tumor differentiation, increased lymph node metastasis and high tumor stage. The E2F-1 and Topoisomerase II-α expressions indices were significantly correlated.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the expressions of E2F-1 and DNA Topoisomerase II-α may play a role as a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer, but further studies will be required for its comfirmation.
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