Characteristics of 162 patients with colorectal cancer.

<p>Characteristics of 162 patients with colorectal cancer.</p

Expression of Snail1 in tumor and stroma according to tumor stage.

<p>Snail1 immunoreactivity was determined in the stromal or carcinoma cells corresponding to colorectal tumours classified in the different stages. According to Snail1 expression, tumours were classified as presenting Snail1 expression both in the tumour and stroma (T+/S+), just in the tumour (T+/S−), just in the stroma (T−/S+) or not present in either of these compartments (T−/S−).</p

Nuclear Snail1 protein expression in colon carcinomas.

<p>Expression of Snail protein was determined as indicated in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005595#s4" target="_blank">Methods</a> in samples corresponding to colon carcinomas using MAb EC3. Micrographs of several representative stained sections are shown. Panels A–E corresponded to tumours considered positive only in the stroma; panel F, just in the tumour, and panels G–P; in both compartments. The arrow in panel H labels a cell that cannot be clearly classified as tumoral or stromal. In panel O the arrow points at a cell entering a vessel. Bars indicate magnification.</p

Specific survival of stage I, II and III colon tumour patients according to Snail1 expression in the stroma.

<p>The presence of Snail1 in the stroma of stage I, II and III tumours is represented as continuous lines; dotted lines correspond to stroma-negative tumours. In the lower left panel, expression of Snail1 in the stroma was considered as low or high according to the criteria indicated in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005595#s4" target="_blank">Methods</a>. The significance is indicated in each category.</p

Kaplan-Meier specific survival curves for colon carcinoma patients according to Snail1 expression in the stroma.

<p>Discontinuous line represents negative Snail1 immunoreactivity; continuous line, Snail1 positive immunoreactivity. The graphics compare tumours where expression of Snail1 was observed in the stroma with respect to negative ones, regardless of the immunoreactivity in the tumour (left); and with only reactivity in the stroma with respect to negative biopsies (right). The p values are indicated.</p