Excision Repair Cross-Complementation Group 1 (ERCC1): A Prognostic and Predictive Biomarker in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Oxaliplatin Based Chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most common cancer and the third most killing cancer worldwide [1]. The addition of oxaliplatin to fluorouracil (FOLFOX) or capecitabine (CAPOX) has become a fundamental component of chemotherapeutic regimens and chemoradiation in adjuvant treatment of CRC cancer. Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) encodes an enzyme that is essential for the efficient repair of DNA damage induced by platinum compounds including Oxaliplatin. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the role of ERCC1 as a predictive and prognostic marker in colorectal patients receiving oxaliplatin based chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Patients and Methods: 100 annotated stage III CRC patients were prepared as immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of ERCC1 protein expression. All of the patients received oxaliplatin based chemotherapy. Results: Analysis of data showed that high ERCC1 expression was significantly associated with early treatment failure and disease free survival among patient with stage III CRC. Conclusion: High ERCC1 expression was an independent predictor factor of early treatment failure (P < 0.018) and associated with lower disease free survival (P = 0.004).