LGR6 is a prognostic biomarker for less differentiated tumors in lymph nodes of colon cancer patients

Abstract

IntroductionThe aim was to investigate whether the stem cell marker LGR6 has prognostic value in colon cancer, alone or in combination with the prognostic biomarkers CEA and CXCL16.MethodsLGR6 mRNA levels were determined in 370 half lymph nodes of 121 colon cancer patients. Ability to predict relapse after curative surgery was estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival model and Cox regression analyses.ResultsPatients with high LGR6 levels [LGR6(+)] had a decreased mean survival time of 11 months at 5-year follow-up and 47 months at 12-year follow-up, respectively, with hazard ratios of 3.2 and 2.8. LGR6 mRNA analysis added prognostic value to CEA and CXCL16 mRNA analysis. In the poor prognosis groups CEA(+) and CXCL16(+), further division was achieved by LGR6 analysis. LGR6(+) patients had a very poor prognosis. LGR6 also identified a small number of CEA(-), TNM stage I patients who relapsed suggesting stem cell origin of these tumors. LGR6 and LGR5 levels correlated strongly in lymph nodes of stage I and IV patients but not in stage II patients, suggesting that these stem cell markers are differentially regulated.ConclusionThis study highlights LGR6 as a useful prognostic biomarker independently and in combination with CEA, CXCL16 or LGR5 identifying different risk groups.

Melittin alcalase-hydrolysate: a novel chemically characterized multifunctional bioagent; antibacterial, anti-biofilm and anticancer

“…Therefore, it is critical to discover and produce innovative and non-traditional treatments to combat these diseases. Changes in the expression of some peptides was found to be implicated in the pathogenesis and treatment of colon cancer ( Sitohy and El-Salhy, 2001 , 2002 , 2003 ; El-Salhy and Sitohy, 2002 ; El-Salhy et al, 2003 ; Rashad et al, 2018 ; AbdelMageed et al, 2019 , 2021 ; Ali et al, 2019 , 2021 ; Olsson et al, 2020 ; Eltorky et al, 2024 )en used for several years in folk medicine. One of the natural medicines is bee venom therapy ( Gupta and Stangaciu, 2014 ).…”