title: CD24 expression in urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract correlates with tumour progression.
abstract: Expression of the mucin-like adhesion molecule CD24 has been implicated in the progression of several types of cancer and has been identified as new prognostic factor. We evaluated CD24 expression in 268 consecutive cases of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma with respect to associations with tumour stage, grade, angioinvasion and infiltrative growth pattern using a tissue microarray technique and correlated data with patient outcome. CD24 expression was demonstrated in 161/259 (62%) evaluable tumours and was associated with high tumour stage [77/139 (55%) pTa/pT1 vs 84/120 (70%) pT2-pT4; P=0.02] and high tumour grade [68/139 (49%) low vs 93/120 (78%) high grade; P<0.001] as well as presence of angioinvasion (P=0.002) and infiltrative pattern of invasion (P=0.007). Patients with CD24-positive tumours tended to have a higher risk of disease progression (P=0.065). Multivariate analysis, however, proved pT stage >1 [P<0.001, risk ratio (RR)=5.87, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.88-11.95] and high tumour grade (P<0.001, RR=3.30, 95% CI 1.75-6.22) as only independent predictors of metastatic disease. In conclusion, CD24 expression in upper urinary tract urothelial cancer is associated with advanced tumour stage and high tumour grade as well as histopathological features indicative of aggressive tumour behaviour, but it lacks independent impact on patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 25, A-8036, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zigeuner
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rehak
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hutterer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chromecki
authors.forename: Cord
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D051927:CD24 Antigen