CpG-island methylation of the ER promoter in colorectal cancer: analysis of micrometastases in lymph nodes from UICC stage I and II patients

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 100; no. 2; pp. 360 - 365
• Main Authors: Harder, J, Engelstaedter, V, Usadel, H, Lassmann, S, Werner, M, Baier, P, Otto, F, Varbanova, M, Schaeffner, E, Olschewski, M, Blum, H E, Opitz, O G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 27.01.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - secondary; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Chemotherapy; Colon - metabolism; Colon - pathology; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - genetics; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; CpG Islands; DNA Methylation; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphatic system; Male; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Molecular Diagnostics; Molecular Medicine; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Neoplasm Staging; Oncology; Prognosis; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Receptors, Estrogen - genetics; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Rectum - metabolism; Rectum - pathology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Surgery; Tumors; Germany; micrometastases; colorectal cancer; molecular marker; Human; Rectal disease; Lymph node; Genetic marker; Nucleotide sequence; Transcription promoter; Colorectal cancer; Early stage; Malignant tumor; Molecular marker; Colonic disease; Cancerology; GC rich sequence; Micrometastasis; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Methylation; Cancer
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604859

Patients with UICC stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) have a risk of approximately 20% to develop disease recurrence after tumour resection. The presence and significance of micrometastases for locoregional recurrence in these patients lacking histopathological lymph node involvement on routine stained HE sections is undefined. Oestrogen receptor (ER) promoter methylation has earlier been identified in CRC. Therefore, we evaluated the methylation status of the ER promoter in lymph nodes from 49 patients with CRC UICC stage I and II as a molecular marker of micrometastases and predictor of local recurrence. DNA from 574 paraffin-embedded lymph nodes was isolated and treated with bisulphite. For the detection of methylated ER promoter sequences, quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR was used. Of the 49 patients tested, 15 (31%) had ER methylation-positive lymph nodes. Thirteen of those (86%) remained disease free and two (14%) developed local recurrence. In the resected lymph nodes of 34 of the 49 patients (69%), no ER promoter methylation could be detected and none of these patients experienced a local relapse. The methylation status of the ER promoter in lymph nodes of UICC stage I and II CRC patients may be a useful marker for the identification of patients at a high risk for local recurrence.