title: Apoptosis and survival in high-grade astrocytomas as related to tumor Fas (APO-1/CD95) expression.
abstract: Although a majority of high-grade gliomas express the apoptosis-inducing receptor Fas, little is known about the extent of apoptosis or prognostic significance of Fas expression in these tumors. In situ labeling of apoptotic cells and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry were performed on 51 high-grade human astrocytomas previously characterized for Fas expression. Survival data was compiled from patient records and correlated with tumor grade, apoptotic index (AI) and Fas expression. A significant correlation was found between tumor grade and the AI and Ki-67 labeling index (LI); however, only the AI increased significantly with Fas expression. The AI increased from 0.39 +/- 0.12% to 0.82 +/- 0.10% in grade III vs. IV astrocytomas (P = 0.003). The Ki-67-LI increased from 3.64 +/- 1.5% to 11.35 +/- 2.1% in grade III vs. IV astrocytomas (P = 0.004). Additionally, tumors expressing higher Fas levels had a greater AI than those expressing lower levels (0.81 +/- 0.11% vs. 0.43 +/- 0.11%) (P = 0.017). Despite longer median survivals for patients with tumors exhibiting high Fas expression, statistical significance was not achieved. Patients with grade III astrocytomas demonstrated a median survival of 20 vs. 18 months for tumors with high vs. low Fas expression (P = 0.51). Patients with grade IV astrocytomas demonstrated a median survival of 9 vs. 7.4 months for tumors with high vs. low Fas expression, respectively (P = 0.77). Although the degree of Fas expression in high-grade astrocytomas appears to correlate with the apoptotic rate, no overall differences in survival could be demonstrated between tumors expressing high vs. low Fas levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee at Memphis Semmes-Murphey Clinic, 38163, USA. bfrankel@semmes-murphy.com
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canute
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ryken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019014:fas Receptor