title: Contrasting prognostic implications of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in patients with angiosarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiosarcoma is an extremely rare tumor among sarcomas and comprises a heterogeneous group of high-grade vascular malignancies. Our study aimed to examine the correlations between 6 immunohistochemical biomarkers-stem cell factor receptor (KIT), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)-α, PDGFR-β, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3-and overall survival (OS) in patients with angiosarcomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical analyses for the 6 biomarkers were performed by using tumor specimens obtained from 34 patients with angiosarcomas. Correlations between biomarkers were examined by Fisher's exact test. For each biomarker, the correlation between the immunohistochemical score and OS was examined by the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of angiosarcoma patients with positive expressions (immunohistochemical score > 0) of KIT, PDGFR-α, PDGFR-β, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3 were 14.7%, 11.8%, 88.2%, 61.8%, 94.1%, and 100.0%, respectively. No statistically significant correlations between any 2 biomarkers were observed. Cox regression analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between short OS and the immunohistochemical score for PDGFR-β and between long OS and the immunohistochemical score for VEGFR-2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased expression of PDGFR-β may be a statistically significant prognostic factor for poor OS, while increased expression of VEGFR-2 may be a favorable prognostic factor for patients with angiosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. kyonemor@ncc.go.jp
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yonemori
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuta
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chuman
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3