Increased expression of interleukin-23 associated with progression of colorectal cancer

J Surg Oncol. 2017 Feb;115(2):208-212. doi: 10.1002/jso.24505. Epub 2016 Nov 3.

Abstract

Background and objectives: The prognostic significance of interleukin-23 in colorectal cancer remains unclear. We designed this study to investigate the association between colorectal cancer and interleukin-23 (IL-23) or interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) expression and the resulting clinical features and survival.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed for IL-23 and IL-23R in colorectal cancer samples. H-score was calculated to compare the expression of IL-23 and IL-23R. The median of H-score was used as the cut-off value to separate patients into high or low expression groups. The differences in clinicopathological features were evaluated. Cox regression hazard ratios were used for survival analysis.

Results: A total of 129 colorectal cancer patients were enrolled. H-score for the late TNM stage patients was higher than that for the early TNM stage patients (P = 0.002). Patients with high IL-23 expression were associated with advanced pathological T category (P < 0.001) and late TNM stage (P = 0.003). High IL-23 expression was associated with poor 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival in patients (P = 0.048 and P = 0.028, respectively). Multivariate adjustment demonstrated a significant association between high IL-23 expression and overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.865, P = 0.041).

Conclusions: Elevated IL-23 expression was associated with poor outcome and can be used as a prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2017;115:208-212. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: IL-23; IL-23R; colorectal cancer; disease-free survival; overall survival.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Interleukin-23 / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Receptors, Interleukin / metabolism*
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • IL23R protein, human
  • Interleukin-23
  • Receptors, Interleukin