Expression and Clinical Significance of Pepsinogen C in Uveal Melanomas

Abstract

Purpose we investigated by immunohistochemistry the pepsinogen C (pepC) expression in uveal melanomas and analyzed the possible relationship to clinicopathological parameters and prognostic significance. Methods We studied 22 patients who had undergone enucleation of the eyeball or local tumor resection for uveal melanoma. The specimens were immunostained for pepC on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Sex, age, tumor location, histological type, local invasion, postoperative treatment and metastasis were evaluated. Results Eleven tumors (50%) were positive for pepsinogen C. The percentage of pepC-positive tumors was significantly higher in uveal melanomas with scleral invasion than in those without scleral invasion (p<0.01). PepC expression was significantly associated with a shortened overall survival (p<0.05). Conclusions Our results show that pepsinogen C may be expressed by uveal melanoma and suggest that this protein could be considered as a new, unfavorable prognostic factor in these tumors.