title: Prognostic significance of ezrin expression in pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Newly defined pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma represents a pleomorphic sarcoma which shows no definable line of differentiation. In this study, the survival and validity of known prognostic factors for patients with pleomorphic MFH, with the possibility of ezrin expression as a new prognostic factor were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients without metastasis at presentation were analyzed. Immunohistochemical analysis with anti-ezrin antibody was performed using tissue microarray.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall, metastasis-free, and local recurrence-free survival rates were 59%, 57%, 52% at 5 years, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analyses revealed that truncal location and ezrin positivity had negative effects on overall and metastasis-free survival. The independent factors of local recurrence-free survival were narrow surgical margin, truncal location and female gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ezrin expression was an independent predictor of distant metastasis in pleomorphic MFH. Thus, ezrin seems to provide additional prognostic information and may be a novel target for the development of new adjuvant therapies.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Wan Hyeong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Won Seok
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Soo-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dae-Geun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jeon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin