title: Expressions of N-myc and ras oncogene products in neuroblastoma and their correlations with prognosis.
abstract: Thirty-six neuroblastomas were studied to determine the clinical significance of the N-myc gene product, N-myc, and the ras gene product, p21. The expressions of both gene products were analyzed immunohistochemically using formalin-fixed paraffin sections. Neuroblastoma cells were positive for N-myc expression in 13 cases and for p21 expression in 19 cases. N-myc expressions showed no significant relation to any clinical prognostic factor, whereas p21 expression was well correlated with clinical staging and Shimada's classification. There was a tendency for p21 expression to be low in N-myc(+) tumors, whereas p21 expression was frequently detected when N-myc expression was absent. The survival rate for N-myc(-) patients was significantly higher than for N-myc(+) patients (P < 0.01). The survival rate for p21(+) patients was significantly higher than for p21(-) patients (P < 0.001). In addition, N-myc(+) and p21(-) patients showed a strong tendency towards a poor prognosis, whereas a combination of p21(+) and N-myc(-) indicated a good prognosis (P < 0.01). The results suggest that expressions of N-myc and p21 detected by immunohistochemical staining could be among the most reliable prognostic indicators in neuroblastoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Surgery, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamate
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000032:analysis*; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)