Thy-1 as a potential novel diagnostic marker for gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
OBJECTIVE
Only few immunohistochemical markers besides c-kit exist for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Thy-1, a cell-surface glycoprotein, is a marker for several types of stem cells and particularly for neuronal precursor cells. The aim of this study was to determine Thy-1 expression in GISTs.


METHODS
Fifty-seven surgically resected and paraffin-embedded GIST samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry with peroxidase method for Thy-1 molecule.


RESULTS
Thy-1 was detected in the majority of 57 GIST samples (54 out of 57 patients, 95%). All samples were c-kit positive and 90% were CD34 positive. All three Thy-1 negative samples were CD34 positive, had a low proliferative index (Ki-67 <or= 10%) and were located in the upper gastrointestinal tract (one in esophagus and two in the stomach). As a tendency, Thy-1 negative patients had a better prognosis, although not reaching level of significance due to low numbers.


CONCLUSIONS
Thy-1 is expressed in the majority of GISTs, suggesting a novel, additional standard marker for identifying GIST. Future studies should focus on the role of Thy-1 in the pathogenesis of GIST and subsequently on its potential to act as a molecular target for adjuvant therapy with new molecular antitumor agents.
Oikonomou
Despoina
D
Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. d.oikonomou@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Hassan
Kambiz
K
Kaifi
Jussuf T
JT
Fiegel
Henning C
HC
Schurr
Paulus G
PG
Reichelt
Uta
U
Aridome
Kuniaki
K
Yekebas
Emre F
EF
Mann
Oliver
O
Kluth
Dietrich
D
Strate
Tim
T
Izbicki
Jakob R
JR
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens