Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42115956›Full record

ArticleClinical proteomics2026

Prognostic biomarkers of distant metastasis following curative-intent resection of early-stage rectal cancer.

Vo Van Anh Pham, Matthew J McKay, Benita C Y Tse, Anthony J Gill, Justin Evans, Yasser Salama, Kah Hoong Chang, Alexander Engel, Mark P Molloy

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Article in Clinical proteomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Vo Van Anh PhamBowel Cancer and Biomarker Laboratory, Kolling Institute, School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Matthew J McKayBowel Cancer and Biomarker Laboratory, Kolling Institute, School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Benita C Y TseBowel Cancer and Biomarker Laboratory, Kolling Institute, School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Anthony J GillNSW Health Pathology, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, Australia.
Justin EvansColorectal Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, 2065, Australia.
Yasser SalamaColorectal Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, 2065, Australia.
Kah Hoong ChangSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia.
Alexander EngelSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia.
Mark P MolloyBowel Cancer and Biomarker Laboratory, Kolling Institute, School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. m.molloy@sydney.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurative-intent surgery is the standard treatment for node-negative, early-stage rectal cancer. Although distant recurrence is uncommon in this setting, it carries a markedly poor prognosis. There is limited understanding of tumour biology linked to this aggressive cancer and no biomarkers to aid clinical practice. The aim of this pilot study was to demonstrate feasibility to identify putative prognostic biomarkers of distant metastasis following curative-intent surgery for early rectal cancer.

methodsTreatment-naïve patients who developed distant metastases after total mesorectal excision for Stage I/IIA rectal cancer were identified from our centre over a 7-year period. A cohort matched for clinicopathological features without subsequent metastasis was used as control. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded primary tumour was laser microdissected and proteins extracted for mass-spectrometry based proteomics. Separately, intratumoural CD3

resultsIn our cohort, the frequency of distant metastasis was 8.4%. 5,473 proteins were quantified in all samples, with 69 proteins differentially expressed between primary tumours with or without subsequent distant metastasis. TGF-β signaling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and coagulation pathways were enriched in primary tumours that developed distant metastases. Total T cells and CD8

conclusionsWe demonstrated feasibility to detect putative protein and T cell infiltrate biomarkers of distant metastasis in early-stage rectal cancer. A multi-centre validation study is now required to identify higher risk patients where adjuvant chemotherapy may improve outcomes.

Indexed as

Distant metastasisImmune infiltrationProteomicsRectal cancer

Identifiers

PMID42115956
PMCPMC13371534

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