Prognostic significance of vimentin positivity in formalin-fixed renal cell carcinomas

The aim of the present study was to determine whether vimentin immunoreactivity was of prognostic relevance using the PAP-method on formalin-fixed tissue from 94 renal cell carcinomas (RCC). The vimentin expression was compared with tumour stage, histological grade of malignancy, and survival data. In 28 cases (30%), the tumour cells showed a vimentin positivity. This group showed a more unfavourable prognosis than the vimentin-negative group. Differences were also seen in stage T 3 tumours. The percentages of vimentin-positive cases increased with the grade of malignancy. Vimentin-positive cases showed a particularly unfavourable course in the G 3-group of carcinomas. In individual cases, the prognostic value of vimentin expression is limited by a decreased sensitivity and specificity. In addition, the presence of immunoreactivity apparently is not independent of conventional histological criteria of tumour grading.