title: Immunohistochemical analysis of N-myc protein expression in neuroblastoma: correlation with prognosis of patients.
abstract: We have analyzed N-myc gene amplification and N-myc protein expression in 41 primary neuroblastomas. In this series, 22 patients are currently alive and disease-free, whereas 19 patients have died or are alive with progressive disease. All tumor samples were obtained at operation. N-myc gene amplification was detected by Southern blot analysis, and N-myc protein expression was detected using Bouin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections and immunohistochemical staining with anti-N-myc gene products serum. N-myc protein expression was detected in all 9 tumors with N-myc gene amplification (greater than or equal to 10 N-myc gene copies). Among 19 patients with poor prognosis, N-myc gene amplification was detected in 8 (42%) and N-myc protein expression in 18 (95%); neither was detected in 20 of the 22 patients who survived free of disease. We conclude that the immunohistochemical detection of N-myc protein expression is one of the most unfavorable prognostic factors in neuroblastoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hiyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc