Background: we assessed the nm23 gene product expression and its relation to vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis in colorectal carcinoma patients. Methods: This retrospective study was carried upon 50 selected Egyptian colorectal carcinoma patients. The material included archival formalin-fixed paraffin-preserved tissue blocks. Pathologists evaluate lymphovascular invasion using periodic acid Schiff ( PAS) stain and lymph node metastasis in each tissue sample. Expression of nm23 gene product was determined using a specific polyclonal antibody. Results: expression of nm23 gene products was detected in 64% of cases. We found an inverse correlation between nm23 expression and tumor grade (p= 0.022) and significant correlation between nm23 expression and the lymphovascular invasion (p= 0.005) but no significant statistical correlation between nm23 expression and the lymph node status (p= 0.114), the distant metastasis status (p= 0.205),SEER staging (p= 0.403) and the two year survival (p= 0..678).
Conclusions: A good correlation of nm23 protein to prognosis is predicted as nm23 expression was significantly correlated to lympho-vascular invasion which is a very important step in metastasis cascadethat had an important prognostic value in colorectal cancer.