Gut Liver.  2015 Mar;9(2):202-207. 10.5009/gnl13352.

The Role of the CpG Island Methylator Phenotype on Survival Outcome in Colon Cancer

• Kang KJ
• Min BH
• Ryu KJ
• Kim KM
• Chang DK
• Kim JJ
• Rhee JC
• Kim YH

• KMID: 2380765
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5009/gnl13352

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)- high colorectal cancers (CRCs) have distinct clinicopathological features from their CIMP-low/negative CRC counterparts. However, controversy exists regarding the prognosis of CRC according to the CIMP status. Therefore, this study examined the prognosis of Korean patients with colon cancer according to the CIMP status.
METHODS
Among a previous cohort population with CRC, a total of 154 patients with colon cancer who had available tissue for DNA extraction were included in the study. CIMP-high was defined as 3/5 methylated markers using the five-marker panel (CACNA1G, IGF2, NEUROG1, RUNX3, and SOCS1).
RESULTS
CIMP-high and CIMP-low/negative cancers were observed in 27 patients (17.5%) and 127 patients (82.5%), respectively. Multivariate analysis adjusting for age, gender, tumor location, tumor stage and CIMP and microsatellite instability (MSI) statuses indicated that CIMP-high colon cancers were associated with a significant increase in colon cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 3.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20 to 8.69; p=0.02). In microsatellite stable cancers, CIMP-high cancer had a poor survival outcome compared to CIMP-low/negative cancer (HR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.02 to 8.27; p=0.04).
CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of the MSI status, CIMP-high cancers had poor survival outcomes in Korean patients.

Keyword

Colonic neoplasms; CpG island methylator phenotype; Survival outcome

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Colorectal Neoplasms/*genetics/*mortality
CpG Islands/*physiology
*DNA Methylation
Female
Humans
Male
Microsatellite Instability
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Staging
*Phenotype
Prognosis
Republic of Korea
Sex Factors
Survival Analysis