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Updated: May 8, 2026
In Vivo Immunofluorescence Localization for Assessment of Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibody Biodistribution in Cancer Research
Published on: September 16, 2019
High immunohistochemical nestin expression is associated with greater depth of infiltration in dermatofibrosarcoma
Carlos Serra-Guillén1, Beatriz Llombart, Eduardo Nagore
1Department of Dermatology, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia, Spain.
Background:
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) was recently shown to express nestin, a marker that has been associated with poorer prognosis when present in high levels in certain tumors. The objective of this study is to explore the association between high nestin expression and deep invasion.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective, observational study in which we evaluated the degree of nestin expression in 71 DFSP. The odds of fascial involvement was calculated before and after adjusting for the following confounders: age, sex, tumor size, time to diagnosis, tumor site, the presence of fibrosarcomatous areas, pleomorphism, number of mitotic figures and predominant histopathologic pattern. We also calculated the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient between nestin staining intensity and depth of invasion.
Results:
Nestin immunopositivity was found in 98.6% of the tumors, and high expression levels were significantly associated with invasion of the fascia. The odds of fascial involvement in tumors with strong nestin staining was 6.56 (p = 0.001) before adjustment for confounders and 14.86 after adjustment (p = 0.007). The Spearman rho correlation coefficient between nestin expression and deep invasion was 0.287 (p = 0.015).
Conclusion:
High inmunohistochemical nestin expression appears to be associated with deeper invasion in DFSP.
