Expression of l1 cell adhesion molecule and morphologic features at the invasive front of colorectal cancer.

To obtain the correlation between morphologic features in the invasive fronts of colorectal cancer (CRC) and L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) expression, 275 CRCs were assessed with L1CAM immunostaining and 29 CRCs were examined for L1CAM messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Based on immunostaining, the positive rate of L1CAM expression increased according to the grade of tumor budding (P = .0002) and solid cancer nests (SCNs; P = .0046). L1CAM mRNA levels at the invasive front of the tumor were higher than those at the center of the tumor (median, 3.7-fold). The gap of L1CAM mRNA level between the invasive front and the central area was 7.3-fold in tumors having SCN lesions, whereas it was 1.9-fold in tumors having non-SCN lesions (P = .0004). L1CAM expression was correlated with nodal involvement in protein and mRNA levels (P = .0007 and P = .036, respectively). Tumor regulation of L1CAM expression is associated with morphologic features at the invasive front in CRC.