Abstract
PURPOSE: The significance of p34(cdc2) expression in human tumors has not been fully explained. The aim of the current study was to elucidate the clinicopathologic significance of immunohistochemical p34(cdc2) expression in carcinoma of the colon and rectum. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of p34(cdc2) was examined in 90 consecutive colorectal tumor cases, and p34(cdc2) expression and the clinicopathologic features of the patients and their tumors were compared. RESULTS: Lymph node metastasis was significantly more frequent in tumors expressing p34(cdc2) (47.8%, 11 of 23 tumors) than in tumors not expressing p34(cdc2) (22.4%, 15 of 67 tumors; P=0.020). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumor depth ( P=0.008) and p34(cdc2) expression ( P=0.022) were independently associated with lymph node metastases of colorectal carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: The immunohistochemical expression of p34(cdc2) is independently associated with lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma.