Aim
To investigate the role of CTGF in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and to compare the CTGF expression with different clinicopathological parameters.
Background
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a mediator of transforming growth factor-beta signaling and plays a key role in connective tissue remodeling, inflammatory processes and fibrosis in various illnesses including cancer.
Conclusion
Expression of CTGF was increased in CRC and was linked with poor overall and disease-free survival of CRC patients. These findings support prior observations and thus CTGF may be a possible prognostic marker in CRC.
Methods
Real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting was performed to evaluate the CTGF expression and the
Results
CTGF expression levels in tumor specimens were significantly higher than their paired normal specimens. The higher protein expression levels showed a significant association with smoking, staging, tumor grade, invasion depth, necrosis of tumor tissue, and both lymphovascular and perineural invasion. As per the cox regression model and classification tree analysis, tumor-node-metastasis stage and perineural invasion were important predictors for CTGF expression and prognosis of CRC patients. Survival analysis indicated that CTGF overexpression was associated with poorer overall and disease-free survival.