Prognostic significance of chromosome aberrations in high-grade soft tissue sarcomas

To investigate whether previously observed correlations between tumor karyotype and risk of metastases could be reproduced in an independent set of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas (STSs).

In a previous study on high-grade STSs with clonal chromosome aberrations, we identified a number of cytogenetic variables, besides tumor grade and size, that were associated with significantly increased risk of metastases. In the present study, we have tested the predictive value of these cytogenetic variables in a new set of 156 high-grade STSs, all located in the extremities or trunk wall.

Of the 10 cytogenetic variables that turned out to provide prognostic information in the previous series, encompassing 122 trunk wall or extremity STSs, three were significantly associated with metastases also in the new series. In a final Cox regression analysis including these three cytogenetic variables, as well as tumor grade and size, on the combined series of 278 high-grade STSs, four parameters were found to be significantly associated with metastasis risk: tumor grade 3, tumor size > or = 5 cm, breakpoint in region 1p1, and gain of region 6p1.

Our findings suggest that independent prognostic information may be gained from cytogenetic analysis of high-grade STS.