Clinical relevance of TRKA expression on neuroblastoma: comparison with N-MYC amplification and CD44 expression

Br J Cancer. 1997;75(8):1151-5. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1997.198.

Abstract

TRKA expression was evaluated on 122 untreated neuroblastomas by immunohistochemistry using an antibody with predetermined specificity. This procedure is simple and reliable for protein detection at cellular level in a routine clinical setting. Fourteen tumours were classified as benign ganglioneuroma with a restricted expression of TRKA on ganglion cells; these patients were excluded from the following analysis. A total of 108 tumours were classified as neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma; 74 expressed TRKA protein, which strongly correlated with low stage, absence of N-MYC amplification, age (<1 year), CD44 expression and favourable clinical outcome. In a univariate analysis including tumour stage, age, histology, N-MYC amplification, CD44 and TRKA expression, all parameters had significant prognostic value. The absence of TRKA expression on CD44-positive or N-MYC non-amplified tumours permits the characterization of a subgroup of patients with intermediate prognosis. However, in a multivariate analysis taking into consideration the prognostic factors mentioned above, CD44 and tumour stage were the only independent prognostic factors for the prediction of patients' event-free survival.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Ganglioneuroma / genetics
  • Ganglioneuroma / metabolism
  • Ganglioneuroma / pathology
  • Gene Amplification*
  • Genes, myc / genetics
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / biosynthesis*
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Infant
  • Neuroblastoma / genetics
  • Neuroblastoma / metabolism*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics*
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / biosynthesis*
  • Receptor, trkA
  • Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptor, trkA