Vimentin immunoexpression is associated with higher tumor grade, metastasis, and shorter survival in colorectal cancer.
Jaudah Al‐Maghrabi
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: The association between vimentin immunoexpression and poor prognosis has been described in many human cancers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vimentin immunostaining and colorectal carcinoma (CRC) clinicopathologic parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples included 202 primary CRC tissues, 41 adenomas and 37 normal colonic mucosae. Anti-Vimentin (V9) monoclonal antibody was used for immunohistochemical staining. Vimentin expression was evaluated based on the percentage of cytoplasmic expression in epithelial cells. RESULTS: Vimentin expression was identified in 35 (17.3%) of CRC samples. All normal mucosa and adenoma samples were vimentin negative. There was an association between positive vimentin immunostaining and high tumor grade, distant metastasis, and short overall (Log rank 5.112, P=0.024), as well as disease-free survival probabilities (Log rank 6.173, P=0.013). There was no association between vimentin expression and age, gender, tumor location, tumor size, tumor stage, nodal involvement, lymphovascular invasion, margin status, or tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: Vimentin immunoexpression is associated with worse prognosis in CRC patients. Vimentin can be considered a potentially important disease biomarker and could be a target for CRC therapy.