PLoS ONE (Jan 2023)

Exploring biomarkers and prognostic factors in uterine carcinosarcoma: An insight into L1CAM, CDX2, p53, and MSI status.

  • Jesse Lopes da Silva,
  • Lucas Zanetti de Albuquerque,
  • Fabiana Resende Rodrigues,
  • Nina Carrossini Bastos,
  • Isabele Avila Small,
  • Elisa Bouret Campos Barroso,
  • Fernando Lopes Cordero,
  • Daniel de Souza Fernandes,
  • Eduardo Paulino,
  • Andreia Cristina de Melo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285447
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 5
p. e0285447

Abstract

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BackgroundUterine Carcinosarcomas (UCS) are a rare type of cancer composed of an admixture of high-grade carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. Clinicopathological prognostic factors in UCS are well established, but studies that approach the impact of biomarkers in this unusual disease are scarce. The study objective was to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of a panel of prominent biomarkers in uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) using an immunohistochemical characterization with four biomarkers.Methods and findingsThe internal database of a single Brazilian institution was carefully explored to select women diagnosed with UCS who were submitted to surgery and postoperative chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel between January 2012 and December 2017. Tissue microarrays containing UCS samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for L1CAM, CDX2, p53 and microsatellite instability markers. A total of 57 cases were included. The mean age was 65.3 years (standard deviation, SD 7.0). L1CAM was negative (score 0, no staining) in 27 (47.4%) patients. Of L1CAM-positive, 10 (17.5%) showed weak (score 1, ConclusionThe strong influence of CDX2 on prognosis requires further investigation. Biological or molecular variability may have impaired the assessment of the impact of the other markers on survival.