Expression of protein S100A4 is a predictor of recurrence in colorectal cancer

Figure 1 Immunohistochemical expression of protein S100A4. A: Protein S100A4 expression in normal colorectal epithelium. In all normal colonic epithelium, protein S100A4 immunoreactivity was clearly absent at both cytoplasm and nucleus; B: Negative expression of protein S100A4 in colorectal cancer (CRC); C: Positive expression of protein S100A4 in CRC. Cytoplasm of cancer cells was diffusely stained brown (all at × 200 magnification).

Figure 2 Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin. A: E-cadherin expression in normal colorectal epithelium. Normal epithelial cells strongly and homogeneously expressed E-cadherin at intercellular boundaries; B: Preserved expression of E-cadherin in colorectal cancer (CRC); C: Reduced expression of E-cadherin in CRC. Staining of cancer cell at intercellular border was weak and heterogeneous (all at × 200 magnification).

Figure 3 Immunohistochemical expression of p53. A: p53 expression in normal colorectal epithelium. In all normal colonic epithelium, p53 immunoreactivity was clearly absent at nucleus; B: Negative expression of p53 in colorectal cancer (CRC); C: Positive expression of p53 in CRC. More than 10% of cancer cells were stained strongly at their nuclei (all at × 200 magnification).

Figure 4 Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrating statistically significant differences according to the expression of protein S100A4 (log-rank test, P = 0. 044). Censored observations are shown as tick marks.