Increased expression of Fascin-1 in CRC was more frequent in adenocarcinoma type without the mucosal component with a better prognosis and decreased expression of this protein correlated with infiltration of cancer cells to blood and lymphatic vessels (p = 0.038).
From these, we demonstrate that fascin is a potent suppressor to caspase-associated anoikis and accelerator of the conversion of colonic adenoma cells into adenocarcinoma cells by chronic inflammation.
Higher expression of fascin-1 correlates significantly with tumor grades and TNM stages in colorectal adenocarcinomas and also with levels of dysplastic change in colorectal adenomas.
The expression profiles of eight candidate overexpressed genes (osteopontin, mesothelin, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1, mucin-1, mucin-5, fascin, heat shock protein 47, fibronectin 1) were confirmed by immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization on tissue microarrays (TMA) containing 54 ampullary adenocarcinomas.
Fascin expression was seen in the neoplastic cells of 54 (95%) of 57 ductal adenocarcinomas but not in 49 (94%) of 52 adjacent nonneoplastic epithelium.