MP68-08 CONNEXIN 43 EXPRESSION PREDICTS POOR PROGRESSION-FREE SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH NON-MUSCLE INVASIVE UROTHELIAL BLADDER CANCER

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyBladder Cancer: Basic Research IV1 Apr 2015MP68-08 CONNEXIN 43 EXPRESSION PREDICTS POOR PROGRESSION-FREE SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH NON-MUSCLE INVASIVE UROTHELIAL BLADDER CANCER Cédric Poyet, Lorenz Buser, Filip Roudnicky, Michael Detmar, Thomas Hermanns, Doris Mannhard, Tullio Sulser, Holger Moch, and Peter Wild Cédric PoyetCédric Poyet More articles by this author , Lorenz BuserLorenz Buser More articles by this author , Filip RoudnickyFilip Roudnicky More articles by this author , Michael DetmarMichael Detmar More articles by this author , Thomas HermannsThomas Hermanns More articles by this author , Doris MannhardDoris Mannhard More articles by this author , Tullio SulserTullio Sulser More articles by this author , Holger MochHolger Moch More articles by this author , and Peter WildPeter Wild More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2015.02.2470AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Connexins (Cxs) which are considered to compose gap junctions to form intercellular channels, play an important role in the regulation of proliferation, cell growth and apoptosis. One of the most studied Cx proteins is connexin 43 (Cx43). There is evidence that Cx43 is involved in cancer development and metastatic process and overexpressed in invasive lesions of some solid tumours like breast or colon cancer. The objective of the study was to evaluate the protein expression of Cx43 in primary urothelial bladder cancer and to test its association with histopathological characteristics and clinical outcome. METHODS A tissue microarray containing 348 tissue samples from 174 patients with primary urothelial carcinomas of the bladder was immunohistochemically stained for Cx43. Intensity of staining was evaluated semiquantitatively (score 0, 1+, 2+), and the association with clinico-pathological features was assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors for progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS Membranous Cx43 immunoreactivity was detected in 118 (67.8 %) of 174 analyzable urothelial carcinomas, of which 31 (17.8%) showed even a strong (score 2+) and mainly homogeneous staining. Strong expression levels of Cx43 (score 2+) were associated with higher tumor grade, multiplicity and increased Ki-67 proliferation (all p < 0.05). In the subgroup of stage pTa and pT1 bladder tumours (n = 158), strong Cx43 expression (p < 0.001), solid growth pattern (p < 0.001) and increased proliferation fraction (p < 0.05) were significantly associated with shorter PFS in a univariate Cox regression analysis. In multivariate Cox regression models, Cx43 immunoreactivity and histologic growth pattern remained highly significant, independent, and adverse risk factors for PFS. CONCLUSIONS Expression levels of Cx43 are frequent in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), with high expression levels beeing associated with poor prognosis. Routine assessment of Cx43 expression may improve the identification of high-risk NMIBC. © 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 193Issue 4SApril 2015Page: e860-e861 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Cédric Poyet More articles by this author Lorenz Buser More articles by this author Filip Roudnicky More articles by this author Michael Detmar More articles by this author Thomas Hermanns More articles by this author Doris Mannhard More articles by this author Tullio Sulser More articles by this author Holger Moch More articles by this author Peter Wild More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...