Introduction and objectives: CDX2 is a specific transcription factor with a significant role in the early differentiation and maintenance of intestinal epithelial cells during gastrointestinal development and also as a tumor suppressor. The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of CDX2 expression as a prognostic predictor.
Material and methods: ninety-two of 206 (44.6%) patients with gastric carcinoma that underwent a curative surgery and had immunohistochemical staining for CDX2 were enrolled into the study; 51.1% were female and the average age was 74.07 years. Overall, 56.5% of tumors were of the intestinal type, 33.7% were diffuse and 9.8% were mixed; 23.9% were T1/T2, 76.1% were T3/T4 and lymph node metastases (N+) were identified in 69.6% of cases; 13% (12) were clinical stage I, 40.2% (37) were stage II and 46.7% (43) were stage III.
Results: a total of 68.5% (63) expressed CDX2. Our study suggests that CDX2 expression (HR = 0.339, p = 0.024) represents an independent risk marker together with the Lauren type (HR = 3.471, p = 0.022). There was association between a milder clinical stage and CDX2 expression (stage I) (p = 0.046). A significant difference was found in overall survival that favored patients with positive CDX2 expression (85.7% vs 65.5%, p = 0.012).
Conclusion: our results confirm that CDX2 expression in gastric carcinoma is associated with improved prognosis, although further studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions.