ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Pan-TRK expression in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal adenocarcinoma: prevalence and clinicopathological correlates in a Vietnamese cohort
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1
Department of Histology, Embryology and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2
Gastro-Hepato Integrated Research Team (GHIRT-002.TCM2025), University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
3
Department of Pathology, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
4
Department of Pathology, Military Hospital 175, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Submission date: 2026-06-05
Final revision date: 2026-07-21
Acceptance date: 2026-09-09
Publication date: 2026-10-28
Pol J Pathol 2026;77(3):274-281
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TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Deficient mismatch repair/high microsatellite instability (dMMR/MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a distinct molecular subgroup with therapeutic implications, particularly in the context of immunotherapy and emerging targeted treatments. NTRK rearrangements are enriched in dMMR colorectal adenocarcinoma compared to pMMR tumors, creating a critical opportunity for targeted therapy with TRK-inhibitors. Our study aimed to evaluate the frequency of pan-TRK expression in dMMR colorectal adenocarcinoma.
We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 211 patients with histologically confirmed dMMR CRC who underwent surgical resection at two tertiary centers in Ho Chi Minh City between 2020 and 2024. Mismatch repair status was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6 antibodies. Tissue microarrays were constructed, and pan-TRK expression was assessed using IHC (clone EPR17341).
Among the 211 analyzed cases, we identified 15 tumors (7.1%) with positive pan-TRK expression, including 12 cases that exhibited membranous staining, whereas 3 cases demonstrated cytoplasmic pattern. We did not observe nuclear staining in any tumor. Most of positive tumors (93%) exhibited a diffuse staining pattern. We observed a higher frequency of pan-TRK expression in tumors exhibiting specific clinicopathological features, including proximal colon location, mucinous histology, high-grade morphology, and lymphovascular invasion. Additionally, most positive cases exhibited concurrent MLH1/PMS2 loss. However,
these associations did not reach statistical significance.
To our knowledge, this study represents the first comprehensive analysis of pan-TRK expression in Vietnamese patients with dMMR CRC. Our findings highlight its potential clinical relevance and provide a basis for future molecular studies, with possible implications for targeted therapeutic strategies.
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