Stem cell-associated genes are extremely poor prognostic factors for soft-tissue sarcoma patients

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Stem Cell Research

Background:

• Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are implicated in tumor initiation and progression.
• Detecting and isolating CSCs remains a significant challenge in cancer research.
• Analyzing CSC-associated gene expression offers a potential alternative for prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the coexpression of three stem cell-associated genes: Hiwi, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), and survivin.
• To correlate the coexpression of these genes with overall survival in patients with primary soft-tissue sarcomas (STS).

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to analyze gene expression in 104 primary STS samples.
• Multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relationship between gene expression and patient survival.

Main Results:

• Coexpression of Hiwi, hTERT, and survivin was significantly associated with an increased risk of tumor-related death.
• This heightened risk was observed across all tumor stages, suggesting a prognostic value independent of tumor stage.

Conclusions:

• The coexpression of Hiwi, hTERT, and survivin serves as a potent biomarker for poor prognosis in STS.
• This finding highlights the potential of targeting CSC-associated genes for improved therapeutic strategies in STS.