Tumor cell expression of CD163 is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients

• CD163 is a macrophage specific marker. Recent studies have shown that CD163 expression in breast and rectal cancer cells is associated with poor prognosis. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between CD163 expression, as a macrophage trait, and macrophage infiltration and their clinical-pathological significance in colorectal cancer. The hypothesis of macrophage-cancer cell fusion may explain the expression of CD163 in cancer cells. Immune-staining of CD163 and macrophage infiltration were evaluated in paraffinembedded specimens, earlier analyzed for Ki-67, CD31 and D2-40 and S-phase fraction, from primary tumors and normal colorectal mucosa of 77 patients with colorectal carcinoma. The outcomes were analyzed in relation to clinical-pathological data. CD163 is positive in cancer cells in 16-18% of the patients and it is related to advanced tumor stages (stage III-IV) and unfavorable prognosis. High macrophage infiltration may be related to lower survival but this relation was not statistically significant. The prognostic significance of CD163 expression is independent of tumor stage (p=0,015) and macrophage density in tumor stroma (p=0,007). The expression of macrophage phenotype in colorectal cancer cells is associated with poor prognosis independently of tumor stage and macrophage density in the tumour stroma. Macrophages may promote tumour growth and progression by an autocrine interaction with cancer cells. Macrophage – cancer cell fusion may occur in colorectal cancer and contribute to tumour progression and metastasis.

Keyword

Colorectal cancer

tumour associated macrophages

macrophage infiltration

CD163

cell fusion

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)