Cancer Stem Cell Markers in Rhabdomyosarcoma in Children
Joanna Radzikowska,
Anna M. Czarnecka,
Teresa Klepacka,
Magdalena Rychłowska-Pruszyńska,
Anna Raciborska,
Bożenna Dembowska-Bagińska,
Maciej Pronicki,
Andrzej Kukwa,
Wojciech Fendler,
Urszula Smyczyńska,
Wojciech Kukwa,
Antoni Krzeski
Affiliations
Joanna Radzikowska
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Stepinska 19/25, 00-739 Warsaw, Poland
Anna M. Czarnecka
Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Roentgena 5, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
Teresa Klepacka
Department of Pathology, Institute of Mother and Child, Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland
Magdalena Rychłowska-Pruszyńska
Department of Oncology and Surgical Oncology for Children and Youth, Institute of Mother and Child, Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland
Anna Raciborska
Department of Oncology and Surgical Oncology for Children and Youth, Institute of Mother and Child, Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland
Bożenna Dembowska-Bagińska
Department of Pediatric Oncology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
Maciej Pronicki
Department of Pathology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Dzieci Polskich 20, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
Andrzej Kukwa
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Warszawska 30, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland
Wojciech Fendler
Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 15, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
Urszula Smyczyńska
Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 15, 92-215 Lodz, Poland
Wojciech Kukwa
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Stepinska 19/25, 00-739 Warsaw, Poland
Antoni Krzeski
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Stepinska 19/25, 00-739 Warsaw, Poland
(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the cancer stem cell (CSC) markers CD24, CD44, CD133, and ALDH1A1 in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in children and to define their prognostic role in this group of patients. (2) Methods: The study material was archival tissue specimens collected from 49 patients under 18 years of age and who had been diagnosed with RMS. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to evaluate the expression of the selected CSC markers in the tumor tissue. Expression was evaluated using a semiquantitative IRS scale based on the one developed by Remmele and Stenger and was correlated with the clinical and pathomorphological parameters of prognostic importance in RMS. (3) Results: Expression of the selected CSC markers CD24, CD44, CD133, and ALDH1A1 was demonstrated in 83.7%, 55.1%, 81.6%, and 100% of the RMS patients, respectively. The expression of all of the assessed CSC markers was statistically significantly higher in the study group versus the control group. No significant correlation was found between the expression of the selected CSC markers and clinical and pathological prognostic factors that were analyzed. The expression of the CSC markers did not have a significant influence on RMS survival rates. (4) Conclusions: The results of the conducted study confirm the expression of selected CSC markers in rhabdomyosarcoma tissue in children. The study did not support the prognostic relevance of the expression of any of the assessed CSC markers. However, further studies are needed to fully understand the relevance of the selected CSC markers in RMS carcinogenesis.
