Characteristic of locally advanced rectal cancer patients included in this study.

<p>Characteristic of locally advanced rectal cancer patients included in this study.</p

Representative fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) signal patterns using the c-Myc break-apart and CEP8 probe in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC); a, b) c-Myc rearrangement is absent as evidenced by the presence of normal red-green fusion signals only.

<p>Multiple copies (3–4 copies or 4–6 copies) of c-Myc are present in the tumor; c, d) Two copies of chromosome 8.</p

Patient characteristic stratified by response to treatment.

<p>Patient characteristic stratified by response to treatment.</p

Box plots representing expression values of FALZ, CAPG, CIR, NUPL2, PRDM2, and ZFP36 genes by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in both groups of rectal cancer patients defined by their response to treatment: responder (R), and non-responder (NR).

<p>FALZ, CAPG, CIR, NUPL2, PRDM2, and ZFP36 expression levels were successfully obtained from 30, 13, 29, 27, 30, and 23 LARC patients. Boxes represent the quartiles, median is represented by a black line within the box, and circles (0) show atypical values (1.5–3 times the length of the box). Asterisk (*) shows extreme values (more than three times the box). FALZ gene expression showed statistically significant differences between responder and non-responder patients.</p

Leukocytes (10³/µL), haemoglobin (g/dL) and age values in responder (n = 12) and non-responder (n = 23) rectal cancer patients before treatment.

<p>Data are presented as mean values ± SD (standard deviation).</p

Specific Taqman® primers and probes used in quantitative RT-PCR assays of over-expressed genes in BCs samples from responder rectal cancer patients before treatment.

<p>Specific Taqman® primers and probes used in quantitative RT-PCR assays of over-expressed genes in BCs samples from responder rectal cancer patients before treatment.</p

Patients and tumour characteristics.

<p>CRT: Chemoradiation; Cap: Capecitabine; Capox: Capecitabine and Oxaliplatine; cTN: clinical stage, Surg: surgical technique, LAR: Low anterior resection, APR: Abdmino-perineal resection; HART: Hartmann, TRG: Tumor Regression Grade; Downst: Downstaging; Resp: response, Leuc: leucocytes (×10³×ml), Lymp: lymphocytes (%).</p