title: Expressions of Somatostatin Receptor Subtypes (SSTR-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) in Neuroblastic Tumors; Special Reference to Clinicopathological Correlations with International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification and Outcomes.
abstract: Somatostatin receptor (SSTR) expressions in neuroblastomas (NBs) have been confirmed employing various methods. High SSTR-2 expression was suggested to be a favorable prognostic marker, though little is known about the relationships between the expressions of SSTR subtypes, other than SSTR-2, and prognosis. We investigated the expressions of all five known SSTR subtypes in 63 neuroblastic tumors (NTs), employing immunohistochemistry, and also conducted quantitative real-time RT-PCR in 37 of these tumors. We evaluated correlations between the expressions of SSTR subtypes and prognosis, based on the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification and patient outcomes. More than 90% of cases expressed, at a minimum, SSTR-1 and/or 2. Ganglioneuromas and ganglioneuroblastomas expressed more than two SSTR subtypes. Among NBs, the favorable histology group showed higher SSTR subtype expressions than the unfavorable histology group. The same tendency was observed when surviving and deceased cases were compared, though SSTR-2 expression was well preserved in some of the deceased cases. In conclusion, NTs highly expressed SSTR-1 and/or 2, and expressions of SSTR generally indicate a good prognosis. However, even those in the unfavorable histology group with NBs expressing SSTR are good candidates for molecular targeting therapy using somatostatin analogues.
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Watanabe
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Nakanishi
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Kinukawa
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Sumie
authors: S
authors: Ohni
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Yukari
authors: Y
authors: Obana
authors: Department of Pathology, National Center for Child Health and Development , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Atsuko
authors: A
authors: Nakazawa
authors: Departments of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Norimichi
authors: N
authors: Nemoto
keywords: International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification; immunohistochemistry; neuroblastoma; quantitative real-time RT-PCR; somatostatin receptor