title: EpCAM overexpression is associated with high-grade urothelial carcinoma in the renal pelvis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  EpCAM serves as an attractive target for immunotherapy due to its expression on the surface of most epithelial cancer cells. Urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis (RP-UC) comprises 2.4-4.6% of tumors of the lower urinary tract. To assess the expression of EpCAM in RP-UC a retrospective study was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumor tissue from 42 patients with RP-UC was selected from the archives of the Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria. EpCAM expression was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry using the mouse monoclonal antibody ESA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EpCAM overexpression was significantly associated with high grade and invasive behaviour (p = 0.014 and p = 0.029) and the presence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.031), but not with the extent of nodal involvement (p = 0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In RP-UC, EpCAM overexpression is associated with an aggressive tumor phenotype. The association of EpCAM overexpression with the presence of lymph node metastasis may be of prognostic and therapeutic relevance.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria. andrea.brunner@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veits
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prelog
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ensinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007682:Kidney Pelvis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule