The relation between CD 44 expression and lymph node metastasis of colorectal carcinoma

paraffin embedded colorectal carcinoma and 9 matched normal colon mucosa and 11 lymph nodes were tested by immunohistochemistry for CD₄₄ expression using CD₄₄ monoclonal antibody and immunohistochemical quantitative analysis using image analyser. The results showed that all colorectal carcinomas were positive and 9 nomal colon mucosa were weakly positive. The five metastatic lymph nodes were positive and the six non metastatis lymph nodes were negative. Statistical analysis revealed that the expression intensity of CD₄₄ was stronger in colorectal carcinomas than in normal colon mucosa （P ＜0.01）. The expression of CD₄₄ was more intense in metastatic （Dukes C/D） than in non metastatic （Dukes A/B） colorectal carcinomas （P ＜0.01）. Our results indicate that the abnomal expression of CD₄₄ is not only involved in the development, but also involoved in metastasis of colorectal carcinomas. Therefore, detection of CD₄₄ expression may have significant clinical importance in evaluation of the tendency of lymphatic metastasis.