title: SLITRK3 expression correlation to gastrointestinal stromal tumor risk rating and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the influence of SLIT and NTRK-like family member 3 (SLITRK3) on the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and determine whether SLITRK3 can help improve current risk stratification systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We hypothesized that SLITRK3 could be used as a prognostic molecular biomarker for GIST. 35 fresh tumor samples and 417 paraffin-embedded specimens from GIST patients were utilized. SLITRK3 mRNA expression in GIST tumor tissue was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and SLITRK3 protein levels were estimated by immunohistochemistry. The correlation of SLITRK3 expression with various tumor clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GIST tumors had high expression of SLITRK3 compared with adjacent normal tissues and the expression level gradually increased with risk grade. SLITRK3 protein expression was closely associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, tumor site, tumor size, mitotic index, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) classification. Survival analysis showed that SLITRK3 expression was closely correlated with overall survival and disease-free survival of GIST patients. Multivariate analysis also identified SLITRK3 expression, mitotic index, and NIH stage as significant risk factors of GIST recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLITRK3 expression is a highly significant predictor of GIST recurrence and metastasis. Combinations of SLITRK3 and NIH stage have strong predictive and prognostic value, and are feasible markers for clinical practice in gastrointestinal stromal tumor.
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Chao-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Zhen
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Chao-Jie Wang, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Jia Xu, Ming Wang, Wen-Yi Zhao, Lin Tu, Chun Zhuang, Hui Cao, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000605829:SLITRK3 protein, human
keywords: Biomarkers; Gastrointestinal stromal tumor; Non-epithelial tumors; Risk stratification; SLITRK3