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Cancer Resources > Cancer News > Cancer News from Reuters > Reuters Cancer News > 2008 > April

Low mismatch repair gene expression predicts testicular cancer recurrence

Last Updated: 2008-04-21 14:32:38 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Decreased immunostaining for mismatch repair (MMR), increased frequency of microsatellite instability, or both predict a shorter time to testicular cancer recurrence and death despite chemotherapy, investigators report in the April 15 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

MMR gene expression was used as a molecular marker of disease activity and cancer recurrence in a study by an international team, led by Dr. Alfredo Velasco of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago.

The researchers performed immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies to the two MMR gene product proteins, MLH1 and MSH2, and genetic analyses using specific polymorphic markers in 162 paraffin-embedded testis cancer specimens.

The degree of MMR immunoreactivity and genetic instability in the form of loss of heterozygosity and microsatellite instability were determined by comparing matched normal and tumor tissue.

A decreased level of immunohistochemical staining for MMR expression was associated with a shorter time to tumor recurrence, with resistance to chemotherapy and with death, the investigators report.

Clinical relapse and cancer-specific death were also associated with tumors exhibiting a high degree of microsatellite instability.

Loss of heterozygosity was not associated with recurrence, resistance to chemotherapy or death.

According to Dr. Velasco and colleagues, "MMR expression defines testis cancers with distinct molecular properties and clinical behavior, such that tumors with decreased MMR immunostaining and/or increased frequency of microsatellite instability have a shorter time to recurrence and death despite chemotherapy."

Int J Cancer 2008;122:1774-1777.

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