Abstract
INTRODUCTION: HOXB8 is a protein that was found to promote cancer proliferation and invasion. ILK is a protein kinase which has a role in carcinogenesis. FAT4 is a tumor homologue that has a role in EMT and autophagy regulation. AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify expression of Human HOXB8, Integrin-linked kinase (ILK1) and FAT homolog 4 (FAT4) in colorectal cancer (CRC) correlating their expression with pathological, prognostic and clinical parameters of CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed the expression of HOXB8, ILK and FAT4 in fifty CRC patients and ten samples from nearby non-neoplastic colonic mucosa using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The expression of HOXB8 and ILK in CRC was positively associated with high tumor grade, advanced tumor stage, lymph node involvement (p < 0.001), occurrence of distant metastases (p = 0.003 and 0.024 respectively), higher incidence of tumor recurrence (p = 0.03, p < 0.001 respectively), worse survival rates (p = 0.038 and 0.003 respectively). The expression of FAT4 in CRC was correlated with lower grade, early stage of the tumor, absence of lymph node involvement (p < 0.001) and lack of distant metastases (p = 0.011). High FAT4 expression was associated with absence of tumor recurrence (p < 0.001) and favorable survival rates (p < 0.001 and 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: High immunohistochemical expression of HOXB8 and ILK in addition to low immunohistochemical expression of FAT4 was associated with unfavorable prognostic and pathological parameters of CRC.