Prognostic Value of MIB-1, E-Cadherin, and CD44 in Pediatric Chordomas

Abstract

The prognosis of pediatric chordomas is difficult to predict based on histology. The objective of this study was to assess the expression of a proliferation marker and adhesion molecules in pediatric chordomas and relate the expressions to outcome. In 8 pediatric chordomas, we calculated the MIB-1 labeling index (LI) by counting the number of MIB-1–positive tumor cells in 100 tumor cells. The grade of expression of E-cadherin and CD44 was calculated by estimating the percentage of tumor cells expressing these markers. MIB-1 LI correlated with tumor recurrence ( P = 0.007) and low survival rate ( P = 0.007). The expression of E-cadherin correlated with disease-free survival ( P = 0.009), tumor recurrence ( P > 0.0007), and low survival rate ( P > 0.0007). CD44 expression did not correlate with recurrence ( P = 0.056) or survival rate ( P = 0.056). Our results suggest that MIB-1 LI and expression of E-cadherin are helpful to predict outcome in pediatric chordomas.