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Prevalence and prognostic significance of TMPRSS2‐ERG gene fusion in lymph node positive prostate cancers
Author(s) -
Fleischmann Achim,
Saramäki Outi R.,
Zlobec Inti,
Rotzer Diana,
Genitsch Vera,
Seiler Roland,
Visakorpi Tapio,
Thalmann George N.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/pros.22882
Subject(s) - tmprss2 , fusion gene , prostate cancer , lymph node , medicine , prostate , primary tumor , erg , oncology , pca3 , stage (stratigraphy) , pathology , cancer , cancer research , disease , metastasis , biology , gene , retinal , paleontology , biochemistry , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , ophthalmology
BACKGROUND TMPRSS2‐ERG gene fusion is the most frequent genetic alteration in prostate cancer. However, information about its distribution in lymph node positive prostate cancers and the prognostic significance in these advanced tumors is unknown. METHODS Gene fusion status was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization on a tissue‐microarray constructed from 119 hormone‐naïve nodal positive, surgically treated prostate cancers containing samples from the primary tumors and corresponding lymph node metastases. Data were correlated with various tumor features (Gleason score, stage, cancer volume, nodal tumor burden) and biochemical recurrence‐free, disease‐specific, and overall survival. RESULTS TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion was detected in 43.5% of the primary tumors. Conversely, only 29.9% of the metastasizing components showed the fusion. Concordance in TMPRSS2‐ERG status between primary tumors and metastases was 70.9% (Kappa 0.39); 20.9% and 8.1% of the patients showed the mutation solely in their primary tumors and metastases, respectively. TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion was not correlated with specific histopathological tumor features but predicted favorable biochemical recurrence‐free, disease‐specific and overall survival independently when present in the primary tumor ( P < 0.05 each). CONCLUSION TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion is more frequent in primary prostate cancer than in corresponding metastases suggesting no selection of fusion‐positive cells in the metastatic process. The gene fusion in primary tumors independently predicts favorable outcome. Prostate 74: 1647–1654, 2014 . © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.