Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2008 Jun;31(3):255-8.
doi: 10.1097/COC.0b013e31815a5647.

ERK signaling in colorectal cancer: a preliminary report on the expression of phosphorylated ERK and the effects of radiation therapy

Benjamin W Corn  1 , Felix Kovner, Stella Bek, Isaiah Wexler, Beatrice Lifschits, Rony Seger
Affiliations

ERK signaling in colorectal cancer: a preliminary report on the expression of phosphorylated ERK and the effects of radiation therapy

Benjamin W Corn et al. Am J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activates cell survival pathways and may promote tumor cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of phospho-ERK staining in pretreatment specimens, and the effect of a short course of radiation therapy (RT) on the levels of phospho-ERK in specimens of colorectal cancer.

Methods: Specimens of colorectal tumors were obtained from patients beginning RT before surgery. Tumors were graded and histologically staged. Subsequently, tumor samples were reacted with antiphospho-ERK antibodies and the level of staining intensity was assessed.

Results: Of the 12 subjects evaluated, 7 of 12 had tumors that positively stained for phospho-ERK before and/or after RT. Most patients who were phospho-ERK positive before RT converted to ERK negativity after RT.

Conclusions: The results of this pilot study indicate that phospho-ERK levels may serve as a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer, and further studies are warranted to determine how changes in phospho-ERK staining relate to clinical outcome.

PubMed Disclaimer

Substances