title: High immunohistochemical nestin expression is associated with greater depth of infiltration in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: a study of 71 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) was recently shown to express nestin, a marker that has been associated with poorer prognosis when present in high levels in certain tumors. The objective of this study is to explore the association between high nestin expression and deep invasion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective, observational study in which we evaluated the degree of nestin expression in 71 DFSP. The odds of fascial involvement was calculated before and after adjusting for the following confounders: age, sex, tumor size, time to diagnosis, tumor site, the presence of fibrosarcomatous areas, pleomorphism, number of mitotic figures and predominant histopathologic pattern. We also calculated the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient between nestin staining intensity and depth of invasion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nestin immunopositivity was found in 98.6% of the tumors, and high expression levels were significantly associated with invasion of the fascia. The odds of fascial involvement in tumors with strong nestin staining was 6.56 (p = 0.001) before adjustment for confounders and 14.86 after adjustment (p = 0.007). The Spearman rho correlation coefficient between nestin expression and deep invasion was 0.287 (p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High inmunohistochemical nestin expression appears to be associated with deeper invasion in DFSP.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia, Spain.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Serra-Guillén
authors: Beatriz
authors: B
authors: Llombart
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Nagore
authors: Celia
authors: C
authors: Requena
authors: Victor
authors: V
authors: Traves
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Llorca
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Kindem
authors: Rebeca
authors: R
authors: Alcalá
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Guillén
authors: Onofre
authors: O
authors: Sanmartín
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018223:Dermatofibrosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D064231:Nestin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C577484:NES protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D064231:Nestin
keywords: cutaneous neoplasm; immunocytochemistry; skin tumors; surgical pathology