Background/aims: Recently, it has been reported that WNT5A methylation was frequently detected in colorectal cancers. However, the relationship between the WNT5A methylation and the characteristics of these cancers remains unknown.
Methodology: Methylation status of the WNT5A gene was examined in primary carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues derived from 49 patients with colorectal cancer using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) and the correlation between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated.
Results: Aberrant methylation of the WNT5A gene was detected in 17 out of the 49 (35%) primary colorectal cancers. The clinicopathological data were correlated with the methylation results. All stages of colorectal cancers presented WNT5A methylation.
Conclusions: WNT5A gene has been methylated from the early stages of colorectal cancers.