Background and purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and fourth in women. In Iran, its prevalence rate is currently growing. Many risk factors are believed to be associated with this disease, but in recent years, the role of chemokines especially CXCR4 is outstanding. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between clinicopathological characteristics of patients and the rate of recurrence, metastasis, and death due to CRC by assessing the CXCR4 expression. 

Materials and methods: The expression of CXCR4 was studied by immunochemistry method (IHC) on 50 CRC paraffin blocks which were qualified for both tumor and adjacent normal colorectal mucosa (as control).

Results: Fifty paraffin blocks (from 25 male and 25 female, mean age: 64.57±13.9) were composed of 47 adenocarcinomas and 3 mucinous carcinomas. The CXCR4 expression was negative in 21cases (42%), cytoplasmic in 18 (36%), nuclear in 9 (18%), and both nuclear and cytoplasmic in 2 cases (4%). A significant relationship was found between CXCR4 expression and recurrence of CRC. But no association was found between the marker expression and other clinicopathologic parameters.

Conclusion: During the study on the chemokine expression, a relationship was found between CXCR4 and CRC recurrence. Therefore, after assessing more specimens, this chemokine marker could be used as a predictor of tumor recurrence in the future.