Prognostic significance of Tks5 expression in gliomas

A pathological hallmark of gliomas is their extensive invasion into the brain parenchyma regardless of tumour grade. Clinically this is a major factor in tumour recurrence as surgery and adjuvant therapies are unable to eradicate all the infiltrating malignant cells. Tyrosine kinase substrate with five SH3 domains (Tks5, also known as SH3PXD2A) and cortactin are required for the formation of invadopodia, actin-based protrusions of tumour cells with associated proteolytic activity implicated in tumour invasion. We investigated the prognostic significance of Tks5 and cortactin expression in 57 patients with various grades of glioma. Expression of Tks5 or cortactin occurred in all grades of tumours and expression of Tks5, but not cortactin, was associated with significantly reduced patient survival among glioma patients. This association was clearest in patients with low-grade astrocytomas and oligoastrocytomas. These results suggest a prognostic relevance for the Tks5 invadopodial protein in glial-derived brain tumours.