title: HER-2/AKT expression in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: prognostic implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess HER-2 and p-AKT expression in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in order to determine their value as prognostic factors of tumour progression and cancer-specific survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred consecutive UTUC patients were retrospectively included, between 1990-2004, in 4 tissue microarrays for immunostaining. Median follow-up: 33.03 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive HER-2 expression was found in 10 cases and cytoplasmic p-AKT expression in 84 cases; the expression intensity was strong: 30 cases, moderate: 28 and weak: 26. Nuclear p-AKT expression was found in 6 patients: 1 with strong, and 5 with moderate intensity. Nuclear p-AKT expression was an independent factor for tumour progression (HR=4.145, p=0.013), together with grade (HR=4.557, p=0.009) and stage (HR=2.085, p=0.003). In cancer-specific survival analysis, nuclear p-AKT expression (HR=4.268, p=0.017), together with grade (HR=5.214, p=0.035) and stage (HR=2.666, p=0.002) were identified as independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nuclear p-AKT expression together with stage and grade constitute independent prognostic factors for tumour progression and cancer-specific survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hospital Clinic, c/ Villarroel, 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. lizquier@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Truan
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mengual
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mallofré
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcaraz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015398:Signal Transduction; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human