title: Cancer testis antigen expression in primary and recurrent vulvar cancer: association with prognostic factors.
abstract: Cancer testis tumour associated antigens (C/T-TAAs) were investigated in several gynaecologic and non-gynaecologic neoplasms as possible prognostic markers and targets for immunotherapy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate C/T-TAA expression patterns and prognostic significance in patients affected by vulvar cancer. Melanoma antigen E (MAGE)-A1, MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 45 primary and 14 recurrent vulvar carcinomas treated with surgery. MAGE-A1, MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 were expressed in 25 (42%), 38 (64%) and 40 (68%) of the 59 samples, respectively. MAGE-A4 was significantly more frequently expressed in tumours with lymph node metastases (p<0.002) and in recurrent tumours (p<0.02). NY-ESO-1 was more highly expressed by moderately or poorly differentiated tumours (p<0.01). This study demonstrates that vulvar cancer frequently expresses C/T-TAAs. Antigen expression correlates with the presence of lymph node metastases and poor tumour differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gynaecology, Perinatology and Child Health, Sapienza University, Viale del Policlinico, 155-00161 Rome, Italy. filippo.bellati@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bellati
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napoletano
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarquini
authors.forename: Innocenza
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palaia
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.forename: Natalina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manci
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rughetti
authors.forename: Pierluigi Benedetti
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Panici
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nuti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; C072011:MAGEA1 protein, human; C095204:MAGEA4 protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins