The Expression and Clinical Significance of Correlation Gene of β-catenin Pathway in Colorectal Cancer

[Purpose] To investigate the expression and clinical significance of β-catenin, cyclinD1 and c-myc in colorectal cancer(CRC). [Methods] The expression of β-catenin, cyclinD1 and c-myc in normal colorectal mucosa and CRC was detected by immunohistochemistry method. [Results] In normal colorectal mucosa, β-catenin was localized on the cell membrane. Increased expression on cytoplasmic and nuclear and reduced expression on membrane were detected in CRC. The cytoplasmic and nuclear expression rates of β-catenin was 63.1% in CRC. The negative membrane expression rate of β-catenin was 70.8% in CRC. The cytoplasmic and nuclear expression rate of β-catenin was associated with histological differentiation, clinical stage and lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma. The positive expression rates of cyclin D1 and c-myc in the CRC were significantly higher than those in normal colorectal mucosa. The cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin expression rate was significantly correlated with the positive expression rate of cyclin D1 and c-myc in the CRC. [Conclusions] The abnormal β-catenin correlated signaling pathway plays a critical role in the progression of CRC. The abnormal expression of β-catenin might be a useful index for diagnosing and predicting prognosis for CRC.