Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and phosphorylated AKT-serine 473 expression in 132 resected thymomas and thymic carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
Thymic malignancies are rare tumors. The insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) system is involved in the development of the thymus. IGF-1R expression in thymic epithelial malignancies is unknown.


METHODS
The authors investigated the expression of IGF-1R and phosphorylated AKT serine 473 (p-AKT) by using immunohistochemistry and examined the clinicopathologic correlations in a retrospective, single-institution surgical series of 132 patients with thymic epithelial malignancies.


RESULTS
Earlier disease stage, less aggressive histologic types, and complete resection were significant positive prognostic factors for disease-related survival and progression-free survival, and being a woman was a better prognostic factor for disease-related survival. IGF-1R and p-AKT protein levels were expressed in 20% and 36% of thymic tumors, respectively. Both markers were expressed more commonly in recurrent disease than in primary tumors, in more aggressive subtypes, and in more advanced disease stages. There was a trend toward better survival and progression-free survival in patients who were negative for IGF-1R or p-AKT expression in the whole series. When only the 91 primary tumors, IGF1R expression was associated with worse progression-free survival (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The current retrospective analysis demonstrated that disease stage, tumor histology, sex, and resection type were major prognostic factors in the survival of patients with thymic malignancies. The expression levels of IGF-1R and p-AKT in thymic tumors suggested that IGF-1R is a potential target for treatment.
Zucali
Paolo A
PA
Department of Oncology, Humanitas Clinical Institute, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
Petrini
Iacopo
I
Lorenzi
Elena
E
Merino
Maria
M
Cao
Liang
L
Di Tommaso
Luca
L
Lee
Hye Seung
HS
Incarbone
Matteo
M
Walter
Beatriz A
BA
Simonelli
Matteo
M
Roncalli
Massimo
M
Santoro
Armando
A
Giaccone
Giuseppe
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012694:Serine; D013945:Thymoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012694:Serine; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt