Growth Arrest-Specific 6 in Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma

Oncology. 2022;100(10):536-541. doi: 10.1159/000525601. Epub 2022 Jun 27.

Abstract

Background: Overexpression of tumor-associated growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) is found in many tumor entities. The prognostic value of Gas6 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), especially in non-clear cell RCC, is still unclear.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of Gas6 expression in a large cohort of patients with chromophobe RCC (chRCC).

Material and methods: Patients who underwent renal surgery due to chRCC were retrospectively evaluated. Tumor specimens were analyzed for Gas6 expression by immunohistochemistry.

Results: Eighty-one chRCC patients were eligible for analysis; of these, 24 (29.6%) patients were positive for Gas6. No significant associations were found for Gas6 expression and clinical attributes in patients with chRCC. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no differences in 5-year overall survival for Gas6- compared to Gas6+ (89.6% vs. 100.0%; p = 0.288) tumors.

Conclusion: In chRCC, Gas6 expression is not associated with survival and other parameters of aggressiveness. Due to the rare incidence of chRCC, further studies with larger cohorts are warranted.

Keywords: Chromophobe histology; Growth arrest-specific protein 6; Renal cell carcinoma; Survival.

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins*
  • Kidney Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • growth arrest-specific protein 6

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant of the Deutsche For­schungsgemeinschaft (DFG), GZ:ER 795/1-1 (Franziska Erlmeier).