TNFR2 Expression in Sporadic Young-onset CRC: An Institutional Experience

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Nur Asyilla Che Jalil
Nurul Hakimah Mohd Salim
Wan Faiziah Wan Abdul Rahman
Siti Norasikin Mohd Nafi
Andee Dzulkarnaen Zakaria
Rohimah Mohamud
Sarina Sulong

Abstract

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a well-known global health concern contributing to a significant number of cancer-related deaths. The rising prevalence of CRC among young individuals is alarming. Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 (TNFR2) plays a significant role in cancer progression through enhancing the immunosuppressive activity of Tregs, leading to immune escape mechanism. However, its role in CRC, especially in young individuals, remains underexplored. This study aims to determine the expression of TNFR2 and its associations with the clinicopathological features of sporadic Young-onset colorectal cancer (YOCRC) in a single tertiary centre. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 36 patients (<50 years old) diagnosed with CRC between January 2013 and December 2021 at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. TNFR2 expression via immunohistochemistry was evaluated using immunoreactive scoring. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Majority of them were female with commonest symptoms of altered bowel habits and per-rectal bleeding. They were diagnosed at a late stage, predominantly with moderately differentiated conventional adenocarcinoma, characterized by a high level of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and primarily located on the left side. Significant associations were found between TNFR2 expression in tumour cells and disease stages, as well as between TNFR2 expression in TILs and TIL levels. Conclusion: The association of TNFR2 expression with disease stage and TIL levels in the TME suggests that TNFR2 could be a pivotal role in the progression of YOCRC. This study enlightens the potential of TNFR2 as a promising target for future personalised therapy in YOCRC. 

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Che Jalil, N. A., Mohd Salim, N. H., Wan Abdul Rahman, W. F., Mohd Nafi, S. N., Zakaria, A. D., Mohamud, R., & Sulong, S. (2025). TNFR2 Expression in Sporadic Young-onset CRC: An Institutional Experience. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 21(3), 389–396. https://doi.org/10.47836/mjmhs.21.3.45
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Original Articles

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