Syndecan-1 Expression Is Associated with Tumor Size and EGFR Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma: A Clinicopathological Study of 230 Cases
Background: Syndecan-1 (SDC1) is reported to modulate several key processes of tumorigenesis and has variable expression in many cancers. To date, the cause of altered expression has
not been elucidated. In this study, we compared SDC1 expression with various clinicopathological
parameters and molecular markers to evaluate its clinical significance in colorectal carcinoma.
Methods: We screened for SDC1 expression using immunohistochemistry in 230 surgical
specimens of primary colorectal carcinoma from patients consecutively treated between 2008 and
2011 at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. The relationship between
SDC1 expression and various clinicopathological parameters and molecular markers was analyzed.
Results: The tumors were principally located in the left colon (71.3%) and rectum (33.5%). There
were 216 (93.9%) adenocarcinomas, 10 (4.3%) mucinous adenocarcinomas, and 4 other tumors.
Most of the carcinomas were pT3 (68.3%) and pT4 (22.2%). There was regional lymph node
metastasis in 140 patients. SDC1 expression was identified in the cancer cells of 212 (96.8%) colon
cancer cases. Of the SDC1-positive cases, 131 showed predominantly membranous immunopositivity, and 81 showed a predominantly cytoplasmic staining pattern. Mixed membranous and
cytoplasmic staining was observed in 154 cases. In 93 cases, stromal SDC1 reactivity was noted.
Epithelial SDC1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with tumor size (p = 0.016) and
epidermal growth factor receptor expression (p = 0.006). However, it was not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic or vascular invasion, or KRAS
mutation. In addition, stromal SDC1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with the male
sex (p = 0.018).
Conclusions: The expression profile of SDC1 may be of clinical value in colorectal cancer and
may help in identifying aggressive forms of colorectal carcinoma. Further studies are needed in
order to better understand the role of SDC1 in the progression and invasiveness of colorectal
carcinoma.
