Abstract: Objective To explore the trophoblast cell surface antigens 2 (Trop-2) expression and significance in colorectal cancer. Methods Trop-2 expressions were detected with immunohistochemistry in 84 colorectal cancer tissue samples and corresponding tumor-adjacent normal tissues. We analyzed the relationship between Trop-2 expression and clinic pathological features of colorectal cancer. We also detected 34 surgical removal of the specimen with western blot to analyze the Trop-2 expression of colorectal cancer. Results Trop-2 expression was higher in colorectal cancer tissue samples than that in corresponding tumor-adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). Trop-2 expression was higher in rectal cancer than that in left-sided and right-sided colon cancer (P<0.05). Colorectal cancer with higher Dukes’ stage or lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis, the Trop-2 expression is higher than that in corresponding tissues (P<0.05). The study found no significance in age, gender and degrees of differentiation. Conclusion Trop-2 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer, which was closely related to Dukes’ stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and the tumor site.

Key words: colorectal cancer, Trop-2