Association between colorectal cancer stem cells' expression of LGR5 and the location of colorectal cancer.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the association between LGR5 expression, a cancer stem cell marker, and the location of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Background: The incidence of chemotherapy-resistant CRC is increasing. The location of CRC is important in determining CRC progression. The area itself is associated with the presence of cancer stem cells.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Adam Malik Hospital and its sister hospitals. Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent colonoscopy, biopsy, or operation due to CRC, Indonesian, and willing to provide familial medical history regarding CRC and other malignancies up to third-degree relatives. CRC tissue was obtained from each subject as a specimen and underwent immunohistochemistry examination to determine LGR5 expression. Data analysis was performed by SPSS, version 26 (Chicago, 2022).

Results: A total of 118 subjects were involved and divided into proximal (32 subjects), distal (43 subjects), and rectal (43 subjects) CRC. Mean age of subjects was 57.30 (SD 12.99) years with 69 (58.5%) subjects were males. The percentage of high-level LGR5 expression was found in subjects with proximal CRC (72%), followed by distal (44.1%) and rectal (39.5%) CRC. There was a significant association between LGR5 expression and the location of CRC (p=0.014). No relationship was observed between LGR5 expression with gender, age, body mass index, hemoglobin level, leukocyte count, platelet count, and histopathology grade of CRC.

Conclusion: LGR5 expression is associated with CRC. Higher LGR5 expression is observed in proximal CRC.