Assessment of cyclin D1 overexpression as a prognostic factor in soft tissue sarcomas: role of laparoscopy and core needle biopsy.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to test cyclin D1 as a prognostic marker in patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS), and to evaluate the usefulness of laparoscopy for determining cyclin D1 overexpression.


METHODS
The records of 62 patients with STS were collected: 28 with retroperitoneal STS (RSTS) and 34 with extremity STS (ESTS). A total of 51 patients underwent surgical resection, whereas 11 did not undergo surgery because of advanced tumor stage. Preoperative-intraoperative laparoscopic staging was performed for patients judged to be resectable at preoperative imaging.


RESULTS
Cyclin D1 was overexpressed in 30 (58.8%) of 51 resected patients and in 10 (90.9%) of 11 nonresected patients. Laparoscopy avoided unnecessary laparotomy in 9 (32.1%) of 28 RSTS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
High tumor grade, positive surgical margins, local recurrence, distant metastases, and cyclin D1 overexpression were related to poor survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated cyclin D1 to be the only independent factor. Laparoscopy was shown to be useful for avoiding useless laparotomies.
Musella
M
M
Department of General and Emergency Surgery, Federico II University Medical School, 80131 Naples, Italy. dimusell@unina.it
Fazioli
F
F
Lombardi
S
S
Servodio
C I
CI
De Martino
C
C
Iacono
V
V
Cigala
F
F
Jovino
R
R
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate
D019938:Cyclin D1