Diagnostic value of IMP3 expression in colorectal carcinoma and adenoma

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal carcinomas are the cause of high mortality and morbidity and are common in the world and in our country. The main mechanism emphasized in colorectal carcinogenesis is the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. However, carcinoma does not develop from all adenomas.
Many factors are effective in the prognosis of colorectal carcinomas. The most important prognostic parameter is TNM staging. Another is lymph node metastasis. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression of Insulin-like growth factor II m-RNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3), which is an immune marker in colorectal carcinomas, and its relationship with prognostic factors.
METHODS: 30 colorectal adenocarcinomas (10 well differentiated, 10 moderately differentiated, 10 poorly differentiated), 30 colon adenomas (10 tubular, 10 villous, 10 tubulovillous) and 10 normal colonic mucosa were included in our study. The diagnostic value of the extent and intensity of staining and the relationship between stage and lymph node metastasis in patients stained with IMP3 was investigated.
RESULTS: A significant relationship was observed between IMP3 and normal mucosa-adenoma, normal mucosa-carcinoma (p<0.05), but no significant correlation was found with lymph node metastasis and stage (p>0.05). Significant correlations were found between IMP3 staining intensity and adenoma-carcinoma groups and between villous adenomas and other adenoma groups (p<0.05). There was no statistical significance between differentiation degrees of carcinomas in IMP3 staining intensity (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As a result, it was seen that IMP3 could be used in diagnosis, but the relationship between these markers and lymph node metastasis and stage was not significant.