Clinicopathological significance of stanniocalcin 2 gene expression in colorectal cancer

Laser microdissection (LMD) and microarray were used to identify genes associated with colorectal cancer. Stanniocalcin 2 ( STC2 ) expression and clinicopathological significance in 139 clinical colorectal cancer samples were specifically investigated using real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. A number of genes upregulated in colorectal cancer cells compared to normal colorectal epithelial cells were identified including STC2 . STC2 gene expression in cancer tissue was higher than in corresponding normal colorectal epithelial tissue in 124 of 139 cases (89.2%, p < 0.01). Tumors with high STC2 expression showed higher frequencies of lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, tumor depth, tumor size and AJCC Stage classification ( p < 0.01). Patients with high STC2 expression also showed significantly worse overall survival rates than those with low STC2 expression ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, STC2 gene appeared to be associated with colorectal cancer progression and may be a useful prognostic indicator for colorectal cancer. © 2009 UICC