Stromal staining for PINCH is an independent prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer

Particularly interesting new cysteine-histidine-rich protein (PINCH), a LIM domain adapter protein that functions in the integrin and growth factor signal transduction pathway, is upregulated in stroma associated with many common cancers. The finding suggested that PINCH may be involved in promoting tumor-stromal interactions that support tumor progression, and, if so, tumors with abundant PINCH stromal staining may have a worse prognosis. To test this hypothesis, 174 primary colorectal adenocarcinomas with 39 distant normal mucosa samples and 26 metastases in the lymph nodes were studied by immunohistochemistry, and 7 additional colon tumors were studied by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. The abundance of PINCH protein in stroma increased from normal mucosa to primary tumor to metastasis (P <.05), and was more intense at the invasive margin than it was in the intratumoral stroma. Strong stromal immunostaining for PINCH was shown to predict a worse outcome (rate ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.16-3.37, P=.01), independent of Dukes stage, growth pattern, and tumor differentiation. PINCH was detected in fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and a proportion of endothelial cells of the tumor vasculature, supporting the involvement of PINCH in promoting tumor-stromal interactions that support tumor progression. Interestingly, stromal staining for PINCH was an independent prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer.     

High CIP2A immunoreactivity is an independent prognostic indicator in early-stage tongue cancer

Background:

No reliable prognostic markers exist for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, and its prognosis can even in early stages be unpredictable and survival poor despite treatment. A potential marker is oncoprotein cancerous inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A), which acts as a prognostic marker in gastric and non-small cell lung cancers.

Methods:

We collected specimens of 73 stage T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 oral squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue, as well as samples from normal oral mucosa, dysplastic lesions, and invasive carcinomas (n=39). All samples were stained for CIP2A by immunohistochemistry. Survival curves were constructed according to the Kaplan–Meier method. The Cox proportional hazard model served for univariate and multivariate survival analysis.

Results:

High CIP2A immunoreactivity predicted poor survival in tongue cancer patients (P=0.027, logrank test). In multivariate survival analysis, CIP2A was an independent prognostic factor (HR 2.02, 95% confidence interval 1.07–3.82, P=0.030). Cytoplasmic CIP2A expression was higher in severe dysplasia than in mild dysplasia.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that high CIP2A expression characterises aggressive disease. Acting as a prognostic marker it might be of help when choosing patients for adjuvant treatment in tongue cancer patients.     

The prognostic significance of steroid receptor co-regulators in breast cancer: co-repressor NCOR2/SMRT is an independent indicator of poor outcome

BACKGROUND: Advances in understanding the molecular basis of breast cancer has necessitated a definition of improved indicators of prognosis that are central to the underlying cancer biology and that reflect the heterogeneous nature of the disease. This study investigates the pattern of expression of the steroid receptor co-regulators NCOA1/SRC1, NCOA3/RAC3, NCOR2/SMRT, and CBP/p300 in breast cancer. The aims were to identify whether their expression was related to patient outcome, their relationships to known prognostic factors and to provide a basis for further research into the mechanistic significance of such associations. METHODS: The protein levels of steroid receptor co-regulators were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a large well-characterised series of breast carcinomas prepared as tissue microarrays. Relationships between these targets, other clinicopathological variables and patients' outcome were examined. RESULTS: NCOR2/SMRT was an independent prognostic indicator of overall patient survival (OS) and disease free interval (DFI) and was significantly correlated with distant metastases and local recurrence whereas tumours expressing NCOA1/SRC1 had a significantly longer OS and DFI. There were also significant correlations between co-regulator expression of NCOA1/SRC1, CBP/p300 and NCOA3/RAC3, which were associated with lower tumour grade. NCOA1/SRC1 was also correlated with smaller tumour size. Furthermore, the co-activators had a significant association with steroid receptors, particularly ERalpha. CONCLUSIONS: NCOR2/SMRT is associated with poor patient outcome, independent of other prognostic factors. In contrast, steroid receptor co-activator expression is generally associated with a good prognosis. Further investigations are needed to establish the mechanisms of these links between the steroid receptor co-regulator system and patient outcome.     

Methylation of serum DNA is an independent prognostic marker in colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Aberrant CpG island hypermethylation is a feature of a subgroup of colorectal cancers, which can be detected in the serum of affected patients. This study was designed to identify methylation targets with prognostic significance in the serum of patients with colorectal cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In a gene evaluation set consisting of sera from 24 patients with local colorectal cancers, 14 with metastasized disease, and 20 healthy controls, the genes HPP1/TPEF, HLTF, and hMLH1 were identified as potential serum DNA methylation markers. These genes were further analyzed in a test set of sera of 104 patients with colorectal cancer. RESULTS: Methylation of HLTF, HPP1/TPEF, and hMLH1 was found to be significantly correlated with tumor size, and methylation of HLTF and HPP1/TPEF was significantly associated with metastatic disease and tumor stage. Moreover, methylation of HPP1/TPEF was also associated with serum carcinoembryonic antigen. The prognostic relevance of methylation of these genes was tested in pretherapeutic sera of 77 patients with known follow-up. Patients with methylation of HPP1/TPEF or HLTF were found to have unfavorable prognosis (P = 0.001 and 0.008). In contrast, serum methylation of hMLH1 was not associated with a higher risk of death. Multivariate analysis showed methylated HPP1 and/or HLTF serum DNA to be independently associated with poor outcome and a relative risk of death of 3.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.4-8.1; P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the methylation status of specific genes in the serum of patients with colorectal cancer has the potential to become a pretherapeutic predictor of outcome.     

Microsatellite instability in sporadic colorectal cancer is not an independent prognostic factor.

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is linked to an inherited defect in the DNA mismatch repair system. DNA from HNPCC tumours shows microsatellite instability (MSI). It has been reported that HNPCC patients have a better prognosis than patients with sporadic colorectal cancer. We examined whether the presence of MSI in a series of unselected colorectal tumours carries prognostic information. In a series of 181 unselected colorectal tumours, 22 tumours (12%) showed MSI. Survival analysis at 5-10 years follow-up showed no statistically significant difference in prognosis between MSI-positive and -negative tumours. Our results suggest that the MSI phenotype as such is not an independent prognostic factor.     

TP53 mutation is an independent prognostic marker for poor outcome in both node-negative and node-positive breast cancer

TP53 gene-mutation and protein expression of p53 are described as being of prognostic importance for the outcome of breast cancer. The present study was therefore carried out to evaluate whether TP53 mutation would be a feasible prognostic marker in the routine diagnostic evaluation of breast cancer, and, in particular, to analyse the relationship between TP53 mutation and nodal status. Tumour material was obtained from women with sporadic early breast cancer. Gene mutations in exon 2-11 were identified using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) as the initial scanning procedure and characterized by sequencing. All patients were treated according to the guidelines of the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group for the DBCG 89 protocols. The results were correlated with clinico-pathological parameters and the prognosis evaluated by uni- and multivariate analysis using local control, freedom from distant metastasis, disease-free survival, and overall survival as endpoints. The study included 294 patients. TP53 mutations were found in 23% of cases. Mutations were significantly more frequent in tumours from patients who were node-positive and with tumours characterized as being ductal, large of size, with a high degree of anaplasia, and oestrogen receptor negative. Using univariate analysis, it was found that distant metastasis, disease-free, and overall survival were correlated to tumour size, nodal status, degree of anaplasia, oestrogen receptor status, and TP53 mutation. In addition, overall survival was also correlated to age and menopausal status. When analysed according to nodal status, TP53 mutation was found to have a significantly poor survival probability in each of the subgroups. A Cox proportional hazard analysis, including all 294 patients, demonstrated that positive nodal status and TP53 mutation were the only parameters that had an independent poor influence on the risk of developing distant metastasis and reduced recurrence-free survival. The same factors together with postmenopausal status were found to be significantly associated with increased risk of death. TP53 mutation is a strong marker for the prediction of overall and disease-free survival in breast cancer, irrespective of nodal status. A better understanding of the role of the p53 pathway, including analysis of different types of TP53 mutations, is required in order further to investigate the prognostic potential of this marker.     

Overexpression of FLIPL is an independent marker of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway transmits apoptotic signals and anticancer agents that activate this system, which are in clinical development. We sought to determine the prognostic value of the clinically most relevant members of this pathway in colorectal cancer patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used an arrayed panel of colorectal cancer tissue to assess the protein expression of the functional TRAIL receptors (TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2) and both the long and short forms of FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP(L) and FLIP(S)). Disease-free survival was examined by Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test. Prognostic factors were determined by Cox multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The TRAIL receptors and FLIP(S) were not associated with survival. On univariate analysis, strong FLIP(L) expression was associated with a significantly higher survival (P = 0.0082). On multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model, FLIP(L) phenotype was significantly associated with a poor prognosis in this series (hazard ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-3.56; P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of FLIP(L), but not TRAIL-R1 or TRAIL-R2, provides stage-independent prognostic information in colorectal cancer patients. This may indicate a clinically more aggressive phenotype and a subset of patients for whom more extensive adjuvant treatment would be appropriate.     

Abnormal Fhit expression is an independent poor prognostic factor for cervical cancer

We analysed the expression of the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene in cervical cancer to evaluate its clinical relevance in relation to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. A total of 73 women with cervical cancer of stage Ib or more advanced (67 squamous cell carcionomas, four adenocarcinomas, two adenosquamous carcinomas) were examined for Fhit expression by immunohistochemistry. They were further analysed for the presence of HPV and its subtype. Abnormal expression of Fhit (absent or reduced Fhit expression) was observed in 52 cases (71.2%). The high-risk HPV DNAs for cervical cancer, including type 16, 18, 31, 33, 51, 52, 58, 68, were identified in 63 cases (86%). The abnormal Fhit expression was not related to the clinicopathological factors including histology, tumour stage, and HPV type. Notably, the 5-year survival of patients showing the abnormal Fhit expression was significantly poorer than those showing normal Fhit expression (64 versus 87%, P=0.035). Interestingly, the mean age of the patients with the abnormal Fhit expression was significantly less than those with the normal Fhit expression (51.6 versus 58.7 years of age, P=0.027, student's t-test). These data imply that the aberrant Fhit expression could be a poor prognostic factor independent of HPV. In the light of a high incidence of abnormal Fhit expression in younger patients and HPV as a key player in cervical carcinogenesis, abnormal Fhit expression may accelerate carcinogenesis in concert with HPV.     

Survivin is an independent predictor of short-term survival in poor prognostic breast cancer patients

Established clinico-pathological factors can place patients with breast cancer into good and poor prognostic categories, but even within these groups behaviour and response to treatment can differ. This study examined the value of cell cycle and apoptotic regulatory proteins in predicting behaviour in a poor prognostic group. A total of 165 patients, all of whom had died of breast cancer with duration of survival 12-127 months, median 38 months, were examined using immunohistochemistry for proliferation, apoptosis, p53, phosphorylated p53, p21, checkpoint kinase 2 (Chk2), bcl-2, bax, survivin and XIAP. All had received chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy and were predominantly T2, node positive, grade III with only half oestrogen-receptor (ER) positive. High proliferation, phosphorylated p53, Chk2 and survivin expression correlated with grade III and lack of ER, whereas low proliferation, p21 and bcl-2 related to better grade and presence of ER. On univariate analysis grade, proliferation, phosphorylated p53, bcl-2, ER and survivin related to duration of survival. In multivariate analysis, grade (P=0.001) and survivin (P=0.005) were independent prognostic factors, grade III and presence of survivin relating to shorter survival. The latter was particularly for those patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy and adjuvant chemo- and hormonal therapy. The presence of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin is a highly significant independent predictor of shorter duration of survival of patients with poor prognostic features, and merits investigation as a marker in other prognostic groups.     

Novel gene hBiot2 is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients

The present study investigated the expression of the novel gene hBiot2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its relationships with clinicopathological variables in CRC patients. The expression of hBiot2 in 163 primary CRCs together with the corresponding normal mucosa, 36 liver metastases and 5 colon cancer cell lines was examined using real-time PCR. In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed to evaluate the localization of hBiot2 expression in CRC and normal mucosa. hBiot2 expression at the RNA level was localized in the nucleus of tumor cells and normal epithelial cells. The mean expression of hBiot2 in the CRCs (243.571±564.569) was higher compared to the normal mucosa (107.252±413.635, P<0.0001) and liver metastasis samples (42.002±40.809, P=0.0002). hBiot2 expression was increased from stages I+II to III (P=0.047), and no difference in the expression was found in stages III and IV (P=0.452). A high value of hBiot2 was associated with a poorer prognosis compared with a low value independently of gender, age, tumor site, stage and differentiation (P=0.007, RR 7.519, 95% CI 1.729-32.704). Liver metastasis, smaller tumors, non-local recurrence and primary liver surgery alone were associated with a higher value of hBiot2 compared to larger tumors, local recurrence and repeated liver surgery (P=0.003, 0.044 and 0.026, respectively). An inverse relationship was found between hBiot2 expression and the metastatic potential of the colon cancer cell lines. Thus, increased expression of hBiot2 may be an early and interim event in the development of CRC. A higher expression of hBiot2 in primary CRC patients independently indicates a poorer prognosis.     

Overexpression of podocalyxin-like protein is an independent factor of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer

Background:

Podocalyxin-like 1 (PODXL) is a cell-adhesion glycoprotein and stem cell marker that has been associated with an aggressive tumour phenotype and poor prognosis in several forms of cancer. In this study, we investigated the prognostic impact of PODXL expression in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods:

Using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry, PODXL expression was evaluated in 536 incident CRC cases from a prospective, population-based cohort study. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modelling were used to assess the impact of PODXL expression on cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS).

Results:

High PODXL expression was significantly associated with unfavourable clinicopathological characteristics, a shorter CSS (hazard ratio (HR)=1.98; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38–2.84, P<0.001) and 5-year OS (HR=1.85; 95% CI 1.29–2.64, P=0.001); the latter remaining significant in multivariate analysis (HR=1.52; 95% CI 1.03–2.25, P=0.036). In addition, in curatively resected stage III (T1–4, N1–2, M0) patients (n=122) with tumours with high PODXL expression, a significant benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy was demonstrated (p_interaction =0.004 for CSS and 0.015 for 5-year OS in multivariate analysis).

Conclusion:

Podocalyxin-like 1 expression is an independent factor of poor prognosis in CRC. Our results also suggest that PODXL may be a useful marker to stratify patients for adjuvant chemotherapy.     

Lymphatic vessel invasion is an independent prognostic factor for survival in colorectal cancer

To assess whether lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 462 patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for carcinoma of the colon and rectosigmoid/rectum (rs/rectum) at the New England Deaconess Hospital from 1965-1978. Sixty-one patients were identified as having tumors with lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI+), and they were compared with the remaining group of 401 patients who had tumors without lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI-). The incidence of lymphatic vessel invasion was significantly increased in tumors with blood vessel invasion (24% vs. 5%, p = 0.000001). Patients with LVI+ tumors also had a significantly increased incidence of positive nodes (59% vs. 25%, p = 0.0004), the average number of positive nodes (4.8 vs. 2.2, p = 0.0003), and a lower 5-year survival rate (colon: 57% vs. 84%, p = 0.0001; rs/rectum: 38% vs. 71%, p = 0.004). There was a significant (p less than or equal to 0.05) increase in local (16% vs. 7%), abdominal (33% vs. 9%), and distant (13% vs. 4%) failure as a component of component of failure in patients with LVI+ colon cancer and a significant increase in abdominal (33% vs. 11%) and distant (13% vs. 8%) failure as a component of failure in patients with LVI+ rectosigmoid/rectal cancer. Proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that lymphatic vessel invasion was an independent prognostic factor for survival.     

Preoperative plasma TIMP-1 is an independent prognostic indicator in patients with primary colorectal cancer: A prospective validation study

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) as a stage independent prognostic marker in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The aim was to validate plasma TIMP-1 and serum carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) levels as prognostic indicators in an independent population-based cohort of patients with CRC.Patients and methodsDuring 2000–2003, plasma and serum were collected preoperatively from 322 patients treated for primary CRC. TIMP-1 and CEA levels were determined by validated ELISA platforms.ResultsHigh TIMP-1 and CEA levels each associated with poor overall survival (OS); TIMP-1 (hazard ratio (HR) 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6–2.7) and CEA (HR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1–1.3), and disease-free survival (DFS); TIMP-1 (HR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5–2.6) and CEA (HR 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1–1.4) in univariate analyses. In stratified analyses of stages II and III, TIMP-1 levels associated significantly with OS and DFS in stages II and III, associations were not found for CEA. Multivariate analysis for OS, including TIMP-1 and CEA levels and clinico-pathological baseline variables, revealed significant association of TIMP-1 (HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3–2.4) but not CEA levels.ConclusionsThis independent prospective validation study confirms the significant association between preoperative plasma TIMP-1 levels and survival of CRC patients: TIMP-1 provided stronger prognostic information than CEA. Thus, this study brings plasma TIMP-1 to the next level of evidence for its clinical use as a prognostic marker in CRC patients.     

CD8+ lymphocyte infiltration is an independent favorable prognostic indicator in basal-like breast cancer

Introduction

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes may indicate an immune response to cancer development, but their significance remains controversial in breast cancer. We conducted this study to assess CD8+ (cytotoxic T) lymphocyte infiltration in a large cohort of invasive early stage breast cancers, and to evaluate its prognostic effect in different breast cancer intrinsic subtypes.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry for CD8 staining was performed on tissue microarrays from 3992 breast cancer patients. CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were counted as intratumoral when in direct contact with tumor cells, and as stromal in adjacent locations. Kaplan-Meier functions and Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to examine the associations between tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and breast cancer specific survival.

Results

Among 3403 cases for which immunohistochemical results were obtained, CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were identified in an intratumoral pattern in 32% and stromal pattern in 61% of the cases. In the whole cohort, the presence of intratumoral tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was significantly correlated with young age, high grade, estrogen receptor negativity, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positivity and core basal intrinsic subtype, and was associated with superior breast cancer specific survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that the favorable prognostic effect of CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes was significant only in the core basal intrinsic subgroup (Hazard ratio, HR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.23-0.54). No association with improved survival was present in those triple negative breast cancers that lack expression of basal markers (HR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.48-2.04) nor in the other intrinsic subtypes.

Conclusions

CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are an independent prognostic factor associated with better patient survival in basal-like breast cancer, but not in non-basal triple negative breast cancers nor in other intrinsic molecular subtypes.     

TLR-3 polymorphism is an independent prognostic marker for stage II colorectal cancer

Background

Clinicopathologic stage is still the main parameter to evaluate the prognosis of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Although molecular markers have been suggested for follow up of treated CRC patients, their complete clinical application is still under evaluation.

Materials and methods

To evaluate the association of immune-related genes with CRC prognosis and survival, a total of 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 614 German patients within the Kiel cohort (POPGEN).

Results

A promoter variant (rs1800872) in the Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene was associated with an increased lymph node metastasis involvement [odds ratio (OR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-4.2, for carriers of the TT genotype]. More importantly, among 582 followed up patients the SNP rs3775291 in the toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) gene was associated with CRC specific survival (150 events). Patients carrying the TT genotype had a 93% increased risk of death compared with the CC carriers [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.93, 95% CI 1.14-3.28]. The observed effect of the TLR-3 variant was restricted to stage II patients (HR = 4.14, 95% CI 1.24-13.84) and to patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy (HR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.4-7.7).

Conclusions

Our results may provide additional candidates for risk assessment in stage II CRC patients for treatment decision. Further validation of the presented findings is warranted.     

ATAD2 is overexpressed in gastric cancer and serves as an independent poor prognostic biomarker

Objective

ATPase family, AAA domain containing 2 (ATAD2) has been found overexpressed in various cancer types and correlated with malignant status and poor prognosis. However, little is known about the clinical significance of ATAD2 in gastric cancer patients. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical and prognostic significance of ATAD2 in gastric cancer.

Methods

The mRNA and protein levels expression of ATAD2 were detected in clinical tissue samples by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. We examined the ATAD2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we analyzed the association between ATAD2 expression and clinicopathological features including prognosis in 166 gastric cancer samples.

Results

In our results, ATAD2 mRNA and protein were highly expressed in gastric cancer samples. ATAD2 overexpression was correlated with advanced clinical stage, tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. According to the survival analysis, ATAD2 protein overexpression was a poor independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients.

Conclusions

In summary, ATAD2 could serve as a prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer patients.