Fascin expresion in glial tumors and its prognostic significance in glioblastomas

Abstract

Fascin is a -55 kDa-actin binding protein. Actin bundles rearranged by fascin proteins are concentrated in cell membrane protrusions and these protrusions provide motility of the cell. In this study, we evaluated fascin expression in glial tumors and its relation with histologic grade. Its prognostic value in glioblastomas (GBs) was also investigated. Seventy-six glial tumors including 44 glioblastomas with known survival time, 18 anaplastic astrocytomas (AAs), six diffuse astrocytomas (DAs), and eight pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) were examined immunohistochemically for fascin expression. Fascin was observed in the neurons of normal brain tissue and endothelium of vascular spaces in the glial tumors. Fascin expression was correlated with histologic grade in DAs. PAs expressed low levels of fascin. Half of the GBs showed high levels of fascin expression. In the GB group, overall survival was poor for cases with percentage of stained cells >50% having moderate or strong staining intensity. In GBs, overall survival was also poor for >50-year-old cases and cases that refused radiotherapy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age (>50 years, P=0.021) and higher level of fascin expression (immunohistochemical score >8, P=0.040) were independent poor prognostic factors. In conclusion, fascin expression levels are correlated with histologic grade and fascin overexpression may play an important role in the biologic behavior of glial astrocytic tumors and in the prognosis of GBs.