Stem cell-associated genes are extremely poor prognostic factors for soft-tissue sarcoma patients.
Cancer stem cells can play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, it is still difficult to detect and isolate cancer stem cells. An alternative approach is to analyse stem cell-associated gene expression. We investigated the coexpression of three stem cell-associated genes, Hiwi, hTERT and survivin, by quantitative real-time-PCR in 104 primary soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). Multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression analyses allowed correlating gene expression with overall survival for STS patients. Coexpression of all three stem cell-associated genes resulted in a significantly increased risk of tumor-related death. Importantly, tumors of patients with the poorest prognosis were of all four tumor stages, suggesting that their risk is based upon coexpression of stem cell-associated genes rather than on tumor stage.
Taubert
H
H
Institute of Pathology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. helge.taubert@medizin.uni-halle.de
Würl
P
P
Greither
T
T
Kappler
M
M
Bache
M
M
Bartel
F
F
Kehlen
A
A
Lautenschläger
C
C
Harris
L C
LC
Kaushal
D
D
Füssel
S
S
Meye
A
A
Böhnke
A
A
Schmidt
H
H
Holzhausen
H-J
HJ
Hauptmann
S
S
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D000077022:Survivin; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C421088:PIWIL1 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase