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TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion status in minute (minimal) prostatic adenocarcinoma

Roula Albadine1, Mathieu Latour, Antoun Toubaji

  • 1Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Modern Pathology : an Official Journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc
|September 8, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Minute prostate adenocarcinomas show a 47% TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion rate, similar to non-minute tumors. This finding suggests the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion may not reliably indicate aggressive prostate cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Urology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Minute prostatic adenocarcinomas are typically considered low-virulence.
  • The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion has been linked to aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma.
  • Evaluating this fusion in minute adenocarcinomas is crucial for understanding prostate cancer behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in minute prostatic adenocarcinomas.
  • To compare the fusion rates between minute and non-minute adenocarcinomas.
  • To assess the potential of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion as a marker for aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Tissue microarray construction from 45 minute adenocarcinomas and 63 non-minimal, Gleason Score 6 tumors.
  • Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using ERG break-apart probes.
  • Assessment for fusion by deletion (Edel), split (Esplit), duplicated fusions, and low-level copy number gain.

Main Results:

  • TMPRSS2-ERG fusion was detected in 47% of minute adenocarcinomas (15/32).
  • Fusion rates in minute adenocarcinomas were comparable to grade-matched non-minute adenocarcinomas (pT2 and pT3).
  • Duplicated fusions were more frequent in non-minute adenocarcinomas (13% vs 0%, P=0.03).

Conclusions:

  • The incidence of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion in minute adenocarcinomas is similar to that in non-minute adenocarcinomas.
  • The presence of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion may not be a reliable indicator of aggressive prostate cancer phenotype in minute tumors.
  • Further research is needed to understand the prognostic implications of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion in early-stage prostate cancer.

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