c-Met expression is associated with time to recurrence in patients with glioblastoma multiforme

The aim of this study was to explore the difference in c-Met expression between primary and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and to determine whether the dysregulation of c-Met expression has a role in the malignant progression of GBM. Paired primary and recurrent GBM specimens from the same patient were evaluated using immunohistochemical analysis. The association between c-Met expression and progression-free survival time (PFST) was analyzed. There was a significant difference in c-Met expression between primary and recurrent tumors (p=0.020), and patients with tumors expressing c-Met at a higher level had a significantly shorter PFST (6.1 months vs. 11.5 months; p=0.026). Our study indicates that recurrent GBM express c-Met at a higher level and that c-Met overexpression is associated with shorter PFST in patients with GBM. These findings suggest that c-Met potentially has an important role in the treatment of GBM.