Both transcriptional factor Ets-1 and integrin αvβ6 play an important role in the development and progression of cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the expression of Integrin αvβ6 and Ets-1, two proteins’ correlation and their clinical significance in colorectal cancerous tissues.

The specimens were arranged into microarray using the immunohistochemistry method to investigate the expression of integrin αvβ6 and transcriptional factor Ets-1 in these tissues. Among the 158 tissue specimens, 36.07% were positive for αvβ6 expression, and 57.59% were positive for Ets-1 expression. There were obvious statistical differences existed regarding differentiation, N stage, M stage and TNM stage between αvβ6 and Ets-1 positively and negatively expressing tumors. The correlation analysis confirmed the expression of αvβ6 and Ets-1 were positively correlated in colorectal cancer. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients who were both αvβ6 and Ets-1 positive relapsed earlier than those who were both αvβ6 and Ets-1 negative; and the former group had much shorter survival time than the latter. And Cox model indicated that αvβ6 and Ets-1 were the independent prognostic factors (RR = 2.175, P = 0.012 and RR = 3.903, P < 0.001).

The expression of αvβ6 and Ets-1 were positively correlated, and their expression degrees were associated with the differentiation, N stage, M stage and TNM stage of the tumors. Hence, the combination of αvβ6 and Ets-1 can be used as a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer, especially for the early stage.