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TS gene polymorphisms are not good markers of response to 5-FU therapy in stage III colon cancer patients

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An Erratum to this article was published on 20 August 2011

Abstract

Aim

Although the predictive and prognostic value of thymidylate synthase (TS) expression and gene polymorphism in colon cancer has been widely studied, the results are inconclusive probably because of methodological differences. With this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of TS gene polymorphisms genotyping in therapy response in stage III colon carcinoma patients treated with 5-FU adjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients and methods

251 patients diagnosed with stage III colon carcinoma treated with surgery followed by 5-FU based adjuvant therapy were selected. The variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 5′untranslated region of the TS gene were genotyped.

Results

There was a positive association between tumor T stage and the VNTR genotypes (p = 0.05). In both univariate and multivariate survival analysis no effects of the studied polymorphisms on survival were found. However, there was an association between both polymorphisms and age. Among patients younger than 60 years, the patients homozygous for 2R seemed to have a better overall survival, whereas among the patients older than 67 this longer survival was seen by the carriers of other genotypes.

Conclusion

We conclude that the TS VNTR and SNP do not predict response to 5-FU therapy in patients with stage III colon carcinoma. However, age appears to modify the effects of TS polymorphisms on survival.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank, G.J. Creemers MD, O. Repelaer van Driel MD, .R.E.H. Smeets MD and A.E.M. Smals MD from the Catharina Hospital, Máxima Medical Centre Eindhoven and the St. Anna Hospital in Geldrop, respectively, for their collaboration in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PAMM Laboratory for Pathology, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

    A. Fariña-Sarasqueta, E. Moerland & I. van Lijnschoten

  2. Fontys University of Applied Science, Centre for Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Rachelsmolen 1, 5612, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

    A. Fariña-Sarasqueta, M. J. E. M. Gosens & Adriaan J. C. van den Brule

  3. Comprehensive Cancer Centre South, Zernikestraat 29, P.O Box 231, 5600, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

    V. E. P. P. Lemmens

  4. Department of Surgery, Máxima Medical Centre Veldhoven, De Run 4600, 5504, Veldhoven, the Netherlands

    G. D. Slooter

  5. Department of Surgical Oncology, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

    H. J. T. Rutten

  6. Department of Molecular Diagnostics, PAMM laboratory for Pathology and Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

    Adriaan J. C. van den Brule

  7. Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, P.O. Box 90153, 5200, s’Hertogenbosch, ME, the Netherlands

    Adriaan J. C. van den Brule

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  1. A. Fariña-Sarasqueta
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  2. M. J. E. M. Gosens
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  3. E. Moerland
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  4. I. van Lijnschoten
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  5. V. E. P. P. Lemmens
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  7. H. J. T. Rutten
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  8. Adriaan J. C. van den Brule
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adriaan J. C. van den Brule.

Additional information

This paper is a reprint from 'TS gene polymorphisms are not good markers of response to 5-FU therapy in stage III colon cancer patients, A. Fariña-Sarasqueta, M.J.E.M. Gosens, E. Moerland, I. van Lijnschoten, V.E.P.P. Lemmens, G.D. Slooter, H. J.T. Rutten, A.J.C. van den Brule' originally published in Analytical Cellular Pathology/Cellular Oncology, Volume 33, number 1, 2010, pp. 1-11, IOS Press.

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13402-011-0057-1

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Fariña-Sarasqueta, A., Gosens, M.J.E.M., Moerland, E. et al. TS gene polymorphisms are not good markers of response to 5-FU therapy in stage III colon cancer patients. Cell Oncol. 34, 327–335 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-011-0030-z

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