title: c-kit (CD117) expression in human tumors and its prognostic value: an immunohistochemical analysis.
abstract: c-kit functions as a tyrosine kinase receptor and represents a target for small molecule kinase inhibitors. The expression pattern for c-kit was studied in different human tumor types to their correlation with prognosis. Paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from 282 patients were analyzed immunohistochemically for c-kit expression. Survival and follow-up data were available from 192/282 (68%) patients. c-kit immunopositivity was found in 62/282 (22%) cases. c-kit expression was found in 14/83 (17%) colorectal cancers, in 13/62 (21%) breast cancers, in 7/20 sarcomas (35%), in 5/14 (36%) renal cell carcinomas, in 2/12 ovarian cancers (17%) and in 2/12 (17%) hepatocellular carcinomas. We found no significant correlation between c-kit expression and prognosis although a trend to a worse prognosis in patients with c-kit positive tumors could be observed. Expression of c-kit was found in tumor samples with varying intensities and infrequently.
authors.affiliation: Tumor Biology Center, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. MedingerM@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medinger
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleinschmidt
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mross
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wehmeyer
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: Hans-Eckart
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azemar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit