Association of CAF‐Related Stromal Markers and IMP3 Expression With Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Colorectal Cancer
Yumika Takano, Tasuku Nagumo, Takuya Terunuma, Taro Tanabe, Mayo Tanabe, Takahiro Hobo, Naoyuki Uragami, Toshiko Yamochi, Miki Kushima, Noboru YokoyamaABSTRACT
Accurate risk stratification for lymph node metastasis (LNM) is needed after endoscopic resection of early‐stage colorectal cancer (CRC). We explored the associations of cancer‐associated fibroblast (CAF)‐related markers and insulin‐like growth factor 2 mRNA‐binding protein 3 (IMP3) expression with LNM. We analyzed data from 155 patients with pT1 CRC who were treated by primary or additional surgery after endoscopic resection. A matched case‐control cohort comprising 18 patients with LNM and 29 LNM‐negative controls was immunohistochemically analyzed. The area fraction and staining intensity of podoplanin (D2‐40), hydrogen peroxide‐inducible clone‐5 (Hic‐5), α‐smooth muscle actin (αSMA), and IMP3 were assessed using image analysis. We evaluated CAF‐related stromal markers in the superficial, middle, and invasive front regions and IMP3 in tumor areas. Decreased D2‐40 expression at the invasive front showed a nominal association with LNM. Associations between LNM and each of Hic‐5, αSMA, and IMP3 were not statistically significant. These hypothesis‐generating findings suggest an association between reduced invasive‐front D2‐40 expression and LNM in pT1 CRC.