Expression of carbohydrate antigens and the prognosis of patients with surgically resected pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer

Abstract

The expression of the carbohydrate antigens, SLX and CA19-9, in resected pulmonary metastases and their primary colorectal cancers was examined immunohistochemically in 20 cases. The antigens were expressed similarly in pulmonary metastatic lesions and in primary colorectal lesions. Patients with expressed SLX had a significantly lower cumulative survival rate than those without SLX expression. The intensity of CA19-9 expression correlated with the number of pulmonary metastatic nodules. Patients with 4 or less metastatic nodules showed a sigingficantly better cumulative survival rate than those with 5 or more metastatic nodules. At the primary site, all cases of colon cancer and 60% of rectal cencer ceses expressed either SLX or CA19-9, or both. These results suggest that the expression of carbohydrate antigens correlates with the pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancers and patient prognosis.