Expression and clinical significance of serum NT5E protein in patients with colorectal cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expression level and clinical significance of serum NT5E protein (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: The expression level of serum NT5E protein in 232 patients with colorectal cancer and 158 normal controls was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, the relationship between the expression level of serum NT5E and the clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer was analyzed.

Results: The expression level of serum NT5E in patients with colorectal cancer was significantly higher compared with that in normal controls (P< 0.05). The expression level of serum NT5E in patients with colorectal cancer closely correlated with the family history of tumors (P= 0.001), expression level of CA19-9 (P= 0.031), lymph node metastasis (P= 0.001), distant metastasis (P= 0.010), nerve invasion (P= 0.049), degree of differentiation (P= 0.013), and TNM staging (P= 0.001), but not with gender, age, smoking and drinking histories, expression level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), tumor locations, vascular tumor thrombus, cancer nodules, and pathological type (P> 0.05). Moreover, the overall survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer was significantly lower in the NT5E high-expression group, with statistical significance (χ2= 11.184, P= 0.001).

Conclusions: The expression level of serum NT5E increased in patients with colorectal cancer, and closely correlated with the malignant evolution and clinical prognosis of colorectal cancer. NT5E might serve as a serological indicator for molecular diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer clinically.