p73 overexpression is a prognostic factor in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To examine the expression of p73 in the different stages of colorectal cancer development and the association of p73 expression with patient survival. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Expression of p73 protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 221 primary colorectal cancer patients, including 58 patients with matched normal mucosa and metastases in the regional lymph nodes. RESULTS: Frequency and intensity of p73 expression were markedly increased from the normal samples (19%) to primary tumors (67%) and to metastases (95%). Overexpression of p73 predicted poor outcome in the whole group of patients (P = 0.014) and the subgroups with left-sided (P = 0.002) or ras-positive tumors (P = 0.019). The prognostic significance remained in the whole group (P = 0.008) and the subgroup with left-sided tumors (P = 0.019) after adjustment for the patient's sex, age, tumor stage, growth pattern, and differentiation. The p73 expression was positively correlated with ras expression (P = 0.006). The 5-year survival rates were 37, 53, 72, and 74% for the patients with p73+/ras+, p73+/ras-, p73-/ras+, and p73-/ras- tumors, respectively (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that overexpression of p73 independently predicted poor prognosis in the patients with colorectal cancer.