Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been identified to be involved in various diseases including cancer. NEAT1 is a recently identified lncRNA with its function largely unknown in human malignancy. In the present study, we investigated NEAT1 expression in 239 cases of clinical colorectal cancer specimens and matched normal tissues. Statistical methods were utilized to analyze the association of NEAT1 with clinical features, disease-free and overall survival of patients. Results showed that NEAT1 expression in colorectal cancer was up-regulated in 72.0% (172/239) cases compared with corresponding normal counterparts, and related to tumor differentiation, invasion, metastasis and TNM stage. Kaplan-Meier analysis proved that NEAT1 was associated with both disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with colorectal cancer that patients with high NEAT1 expression tend to have unfavorable outcome. Moreover, cox’s proportional hazards analysis showed that high NEAT1 expression was an independent prognostic marker of poor outcome. These results provided the first evidence that the expression of NEAT1 in colorectal cancer may play an oncogenic role in colorectal cancer differentiation, invasion and metastasis. It also proved that NEAT1 may serve as an indicator of tumor recurrence and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Metastasis-associated protein family (MTA) promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis of human malignancies. However, the novel component of MTA family, MTA3 was found to play conflicting roles in human malignancies. While the expression pattern and potential function of MTA3 in colorectal cancer has not been addressed yet. In the present study, we investigated the protein expression of MTA3 by immunohistochemistry assay, analyzed its association with tumor progression, recurrence and prognosis in239 cases of patients. Results showed that MTA3 expression in colorectal cancer was significantly decreased in colorectal cancer compared with normal specimens. Its expression was found to be correlated with tumor differentiation, metastases and TNM stage. Kaplan–Meier analysis proved that MTA3 was associated with both disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with colorectal cancer that patients with negative MTA3 expression tend to have unfavorable outcome. Moreover, cox's proportional hazards analysis showed that negative MTA3 expression was an independent prognostic marker of poor outcome. These results provided the first evidence that MTA3 level was decreased in colorectal cancer and significantly correlated with tumor cell invasion and metastasis. It also demonstrated that MTA3 might serve as a potential marker of tumor recurrence and prognosis of colorectal cancer.