Objective  To investigate the expression of hypoxia induced factor-1α (HIF-1α) and Src homology protein tyrosine phosphatase-2 (Shp-2) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), and to explore the relationship of their expression with the survival and clinicopathologic parameters of CRC patients.

  Methods  The expression of HIF-1α and Shp-2 in CRC specimens was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the corrlation between the expression of these two proteins and several clinicopathologic parameters of CRC patients was statistically analyzed.

  Results  The positive rates of HIF-1α and Shp-2 in CRC specimens were 54.0% (67/124) and 23.4% (29/ 124), respectively. Negative correlation was observed between the expression of these two proteins (r = -0.293, P = 0.001). HIF-1α expression was significantly correlated with distant metastasis at the time of surgery and also the recurrence and metastasis after surgery in CRC patients (P < 0.05). Shp-2 expression was significantly correlated with the depth of tumor invasion and post-surgery recurrence and metastasis (P < 0.05). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analyses revealed that the expression of low HIF-1α and high Shp-2 expression was significantly correlated with better survival of CRC patients (P = 0.041 and 0.025, respectively). After combining these 2 markers, CRC patients with the expression pattern of HIF-1α (-) Shp-2 (+) had longer survival time than those with HIF-1α (-) Shp-2 (+).

  Conclusion  The expression of H1F-1 α and Shp-2 was significantly correlated with several elinicopathologie characteristics and survival of CRC patients, suggested that these two proteins may play important roles in the invasion and metastasis process of CRC, and could be used as potential prognostic markers.