ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin typeⅠmotif (ADAMTS1) in colorectal cancer tissues, and to study the relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis of it. MethodsExpression of ADAMTS1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (SP method) in 65 specimens, which obtained by resection from patients with colorectal cancer, including corresponding adjacent benign tissues. Chi-square test was used for analyzing the relationship between expression of ADAMTS1 and clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer tissues. Cox proportional hazard model was used to explore the relationship between expression of ADAMTS1, other clinicopathological parameters, and patients' survival situation. ResultsThe positive expression rate of ADAMTS1 was 40% (26/65) in the colorectal cancer tissues and 85% (55/65) in the adjacent benign tissues, which was significantly higher in adjacent benign tissues (χ2=27.546, P < 0.001). The positive expression rate of ADAMTS1 was significantly lower in the colorectal cancer tissues with lymph node metastasis than that of the colorectal cancer without lymph node metastasis (χ2=5.329, P=0.021). Results of survival analysis showed that median survival time were 27 months in the ADAMTS1-negative group and 70 months in the ADAMTS1-positive group respectively, and the survival situation was better in latter group (χ2=10.151, P=0.001). Results of multivariable prognostic analysis of Cox proportional hazard model showed that colorectal cancer withⅠ-Ⅱstage (RR=3.782, 95% CI:1.509-9.476, P=0.005), without lymph node metastasis (RR=3.107, 95% CI:1.186-8.138, P=0.021), and with positive-expression of ADAMTS1 (RR=2.020, 95% CI:1.071-3.809, P=0.030) had better survival situation. ConclusionsExpression of ADAMTS1 is down-regulated in colorectal cancer tissues and it is associated with lymph node metastasis. The prognosis of patients in ADAMTS1-positive group is better than that of ADAMTS1-negative group, suggesting that ADAMTS1 may be an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer.