Detection of GD2-positive cells in bone marrow samples and survival of patients with localised neuroblastoma.
The impact of bone marrow (BM) GD2-positive cells on survival has been evaluated in 145 Italian children with localised neuroblastoma (NB) evaluated at diagnosis by anti-GD2 immunocytochemistry. Nineteen of these (13.1%) were found to be BM GD2-positive, with the number of positive cells ranging between 1 and 155 out of 1 x 10(6) total cells analysed. Seven/19 (38.8%) GD2-positive vs 12/126 (9.5%) GD2-negative patients relapsed. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival of the GD2-positive patients was significantly worse than that of the GD2-negative ones (62.2 vs 89.9%, P<0.001; and 74.9 vs 95.9%, P=0.005, respectively). GD2 positivity was not associated to other known risk factors, and in particular to Myc-N amplification and 1p deletion. Among Myc-N-negative patients, the EFS of those negative for both GD2 and 1p deletion was significantly better than in children positive for either one of these two markers (EFS=96.9 vs 66.0%, P<0.001). In conclusion, GD2 positivity may represent a prognostic marker for patients with non-metastatic NB without Myc-N amplification, and its combination with genetic alterations might help identifying patients that require a more careful follow-up.
Corrias
M V
MV
Department of Experimental and Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Oncology, Gaslini Institute, Largo Gaslini, 5, Genoa 16147, Italy. mariavaleriacorrias@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
Parodi
S
S
Haupt
R
R
Lacitignola
L
L
Negri
F
F
Sementa
A R
AR
Dau
D
D
Scuderi
F
F
Carlini
B
B
Bianchi
M
M
Casale
F
F
Faulkner
L
L
Garaventa
A
A
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; C023220:(N-acetylneuraminyl)-galactosylglucosylceramide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase