We examined the expression of RKIP Brefeldin in the same cohort of patients and both cytoplasmic and nuclear RKIP staining were evaluated by immunochemistry. However, no statistically significant associations were detected between RKIP expression level versus low and tumor grade. Simi larly, no statistically significant associations were found between RKIP expression level and LVI. In this study, increased levels of RKIP was inversely associated with tumor grade and high levels of nuclear RKIP was associated with worse prognosis. These results suggest the inactivation of RKIP function possibly via degradation, mutation or other mechanisms in Stage II CRC. Expression of STAT3 in colon cancer and its association with tumor grade and LVI STAT3 expression in colon cancer is mainly nuclear.

The nuclear staining intensity was graded 3 in 7 cases 5. 5% 2 in 45 cases, 1 in 56 cases and 0 in 20 cases. The impact of nuclear STAT3 levels on tumor grade was studied and a significantly greater percentage of nuclear STAT3 positive tumors are high grade compared to nuclear STAT3 negative tumors. Five percent of nuclear STAT3 negative tumors are high grade, however, 20% of nuclear STAT3 positive tumors are high grade. Therefore, nuclear STAT3 levels are associated with LVI. None of the nuclear STAT3 negative tumors have any LVI while 10% of nuclear STAT3 positive tumors have LVI. Our results indicate that nuclear STAT3 expression may be associated with worse prognosis. Additional analysis of an increased cohort of patients will be required to definitively determine this.

Our results indicate that an increased level of cytosolic pSTAT3 is associated with higher tumor grade. Discussion Recent studies show that RKIP levels are an important predictor of tumor progression by measuring RKIP levels at the tumor front and in tumor budding. Phosphorylated RKIP has been shown to be required to promote gastric cancer progression after infection with Helicobacter pylori. However, few studies have investigated the role of phosphorylated RKIP and its ability to predict patient outcome. Huerta Yepez et al. found a significant correlation between pRKIP levels and non small cell lung cancer patient survival. This was the first study to focus on the clinical significance of pRKIP, revealing that normal levels of pRKIP are associated with better prognosis than low levels.

In contrast, our current study indicates that reduced pRKIP may be associated with enhanced survival of stage II colon cancer patients. There may be several reasons Tipifarnib for the discrepancies between the studies including that the studies were performed on different tissue types. The phos phorylation of pRKIP may lead to the activation of distinct pathways in the 2 models, resulting in either better or worse patient progno sis.