title: CD44s and CD44v6 in diagnosis and prognosis of human bladder cancer.
abstract: The cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) CD44 standard (CD44s) and its variant 6 (CD44v6) are involved in the progression and invasion of human malignancies. However, discrepancies in the prognostic value of CD44s and CD44v6 expression need to be addressed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of CD44s and CD44v6 in bladder carcinomas and relate the results to the established prognostic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 bladder carcinoma specimens, 30 cases with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC: 6 bilharzial and 24 nonbilharzial) and 20 cases with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC: 8 bilharzial and 12 nonbilharzial), were included. Immunohistochemical analysis for CD44s and CD44v6 was carried out using avidin-biotin peroxidase method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of both CD44s and CD44v6 in TCC was significantly higher in invasive than in preinvasive tumors and normal urothelium (p < .05). A direct association between the percentage of expression of both markers and the grade of TCC (p < .05) was observed. An inverse correlation between CD44s and SCC was seen, where metaplastic urothelium showed higher expression than invasive carcinomas. No association was observed between the expressions of both CD44s and CD44v6 and bilharzial ova, sex and age of the patient, or size of the tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors report statistically significant correlation between CD44s and CD44v6 expression and increasing grade and stage of TCC. No such correlation with SCC and with bilharzial cystitis, sex and age of the patient, or size of the tumor was documented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt. olaomran@qumed.edu.sa
authors.forename: Ola M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Omran
authors.forename: Hesham S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C473647:CD44S antigen; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors