Metallothionein expression as prognostic factor for transitional cell carcinoma of bladder.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether metallothionein (MT) protein expression is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.


METHODS
Archival pathologic radical cystectomy and transurethrally resected specimens and medical charts were reviewed for 123 patients with TCC. Patients were divided into groups based on the TNM stage, tumor grade, and MT protein expression in the primary tumor. Survival and disease progression were correlated with MT expression.


RESULTS
The mean patient age was 66 years (range 41 to 92). Of the 123 tumors, 21, 13, 18, 24, 17, and 30 were pathologically staged as pTa, pT1, pT2, pT3, pT4, and pTis, respectively; 28, 15, 14, and 66 tumors had a histologic grade of X, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. On univariate analysis, TNM stage and tumor grade predicted survival and progression outcomes. MT expression was detected in 69 (56.9%) of 123 bladder cancer specimens. Greater MT protein expression was associated with worse overall survival, disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and disease-free progression (P = 0.0004, P = 0.05, P = 0.0008, and P = 0.0005, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
MT protein expression in the primary tumor of TCC specimens appeared to be associated with overall survival, disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and disease-free progression. This finding requires additional validation using other data sets.
Yamasaki
Yasuto
Y
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Smith
Cortney
C
Weisz
Dan
D
van Huizen
Isaac
I
Xuan
Jim
J
Moussa
Madeleine
M
Stitt
Larry
L
Hideki
Sakai
S
Cherian
M George
MG
Izawa
Jonathan I
JI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
D008668:Metallothionein