Immunohistochemical Study of KPNA2 Expression in Correlation to PCNA Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma

Abstract
Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. In Egypt, it ranks the 7th most common malignant tumor representing 3.47% of male cancers and 3% of female cancers. The relative frequency of colorectal cancer is about 9-12% with high male predominance 3:1. The prog-nostic value of conventional parameters for the evaluation of patient prognosis is limited. So, a need for novel prognostic markers is being largely considered.
Aim of Study: The purpose of this study is to detect the immunohistochemical expression of KPNA and PCNA in colorectal carcinoma and correlate their expression with the available clinicopathological parameters to illustrate their prognostic role. Also correlate the relation between KPNA2 immunohistochemical expression and PCNA immunohisto-chemical expression to evaluate the role of KPNA2 as a proliferative marker.
Material and Methods: Sixty cases of colorectal carcinoma were collected retrospectively. They were stained by H & E, KPNA and PCNA for immunohistochemical study. The rela-tions between their expression and the available clinicopatho-logical parameters were evaluated.
Results: KPNA2 expression in colorectal carcinoma showed statistically significant relation with tumor grading, staging, vascular invasion and perineural invasion. PCNA expression showed statistically significant relation with histopathological grading, staging, vascular and perineural invasion. This study observed a strong positive correlation between KPNA2 immunohistochemical score and PCNA immunohistochemical staining in the studied cases.
Conclusions: KPNA2 and PCNA expression can be used as predictive tumor marker which predicts the poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. KPNA2 may have a potential role in tumor cell proliferation.