Relationship between P53, MUC2, AMACR expression and histopathological data in colorectal cancers

im: Colorectal cancers (CRCs) are the third most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide and rank second among cancer-related causes of death. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on identifying novel biomarkers to guide targeted therapies and predict disease prognosis. Among these, P53, AMACR, and MUC2 have been widely investigated. However, current literature presents conflicting evidence regarding the prognostic significance of MUC2, AMACR, and P53 expression in colorectal carcinomas. While some studies have associated increased expression with favorable prognosis, others have linked it to poor outcomes and advanced tumor grade. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression levels of AMACR, P53, and MUC2 in colorectal carcinoma cases and to evaluate their association with histopathological parameters. Materials and Methods: Ninety colorectal carcinoma cases diagnosed between January 2014 and January 2024 were retrospectively selected from the archives of the Department of Pathology, Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Medicine. All cases had undergone colon resection or biopsy procedures. The relationship between the expression levels of P53, MUC2, and AMACR and various histopathological variables (tumor size, pT, pN, M stage, histological type, sex, and age) was statistically analyzed. Results: Most tumors were classified as moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas with predominant localization in the left colon. Overall, increased AMACR expression was more frequently observed in intermediate to advanced-stage tumors, while P53 and MUC2 expressions showed a more heterogeneous distribution. No statistically significant differences were found between marker expression levels and tumor location, histological type, additional histological components, or histological grade. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that AMACR is widely expressed in colorectal carcinoma, whereas P53 and MUC2 demonstrate heterogeneous patterns. A significant negative correlation was observed between AMACR and MUC2 expression, suggesting these markers may participate in biologically opposing regulatory mechanisms. The lack of a clear association with tumor grade and staging highlights the need for evaluating these biomarkers in the context of molecular subtypes rather than solely histopathological parameters.