Low expression of PKCα and high expression of KRAS predict poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer

The current study aimed to determine the association between protein kinase Cα (PKCα) and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) expression and the response to folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX regimen) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The protein levels of PKCα and KRAS were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in tissue samples from patients with CRC and in non-cancerous tissues, including 152 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma, 30 cases of colorectal adenoma and 20 normal colonic mucosa samples. The association between PKCα and KRAS expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed. The rates of positive PKCα protein expression in patients with poorly, moderately and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma were 16.7% (6/36), 40.0% (24/60), and 57.1% (32/56), respectively (P<0.013). The rate of positive KRAS expression in CRC patients was significantly higher than in patients with colon adenoma and normal colon mucosa (P<0.001). Expression levels of KRAS were associated with the degree of differentiation of CRC (P<0.001). Expression of PKCα was negatively correlated with KRAS expression in CRC tissues. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) times in patients with high and low expression of PKCα were 43.9 and 38.8 months, respectively (P<0.001). The mean PFS times were 38.5 and 45.5 months in patients with high and low expression of KRAS, respectively (P=0.001). In conclusion, low PKCα and high KRAS expression predicted relatively poor prognosis in patients with CRC.