Correlation of Ezrin Expression Pattern and Clinical Outcomes in Ewing Sarcoma

• Authors: William Cash, Emory University; Hong Yin, Emory University; Courtney Mccracken, Emory University; Zhi Geng, Emory University; Steven G. Dubois, Harvard Medical School; Bahig Shehata, Emory University; Thomas Olson, Emory University; Howard M. Katzenstein, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt; Cynthia Wetmore, Emory University
• Journal Title: Sarcoma
• Volume: Volume 2017
• Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation | 2017-01-01
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8758623
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Pathology; Biology, Molecular; Health Sciences, Oncology

Abstract

Background. Ezrin is a membrane-cytoskeleton linker protein that has been associated with metastasis and poor outcomes in osteosarcoma and high-grade soft tissue sarcomas. The prognostic value of ezrin expression in Ewing sarcoma is unknown. Methods. The relationship between ezrin expression and outcome was analyzed in a cohort of 53 newly diagnosed Ewing sarcoma patients treated between 2000 and 2011. The intensity and proportion of cells with ezrin immunoreactivity were assessed in diagnostic tumor tissue using a semiquantitative scoring system to yield intensity and positivity scores for each tumor. Results. Ezrin expression was detected in 72% (38/53) of tumor samples. The proportion of patients with metastatic disease was equal in the positive and negative ezrin expression groups. There was no significant difference in the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) between patients with positive versus negative ezrin expression. Patients whose tumor sample showed high ezrin intensity had significantly better 5-year EFS when compared to patients with low/no ezrin intensity (78% versus 55%; P=0.03). Conclusions. Ezrin expression can be detected in the majority of Ewing sarcoma tumor samples. Intense ezrin expression may be correlated with a favorable outcome; however further investigation with a larger cohort is needed to validate this finding.