OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between expression of hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) and its receptor c-Met and primary colorectal cancers with synchronous liver metastases.

METHODSA total of 30 colorectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis underwent radical resection of primary cancer and liver cancer in our hospital from June 2001 to June 2010. According to lymphatic metastasis, patients were divided into group A(T1~T4N1~N2M1, n=21) and group B(T1~T4N0M1, n=9). Twenty-one matched T1~T4N1~N2M0 and 21 T1~T4N0M0 patients were used as the controls of group A. Nine matched T1~T4N0M0 patients were used as the controls of group B. Expressions of HGF and c-Met in tissues of primary loci, liver loci and metastatic loci were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSIn primary loci of group A, the positive rate of HGF was significantly higher than that of T1~T4N1~N2M0 and T1~T4N0M0 controls [71%(15/21) vs. 43%(9/21), 19%(4/21), all P<0.05]. The positive rate of c-MET[90%(19/21)] was significantly higher compared to T1~T4N0M0 control[43%(9/21), P<0.05], while not significantly different compared to T1~T4N1~N2M0 control[86%(18/21)]. In primary loci of group B, positive rates of HGF and c-MET were not significantly different as compared to T1~T4N0M0 control[6/9 vs. 5/9, P>0.05; 8/9 vs. 6/9, P>0.05]. Concordance of HGF and c-MET expression in group A among primary loci, lymphatic metastatic loci and hepatic metastatic loci was 81%(17/21) and 76%(16/21).

CONCLUSIONHGF-c-Met may play a role in colorectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis who have regional lymphatic metastasis, and may have few effect on colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastasis without corresponding lymphatic metastasis.