Survivin and gliomas: A literature review

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumor, the diagnosis of which is challenging. In this respect, the use of immunohistochemical proliferation markers may aid diagnosis; survivin, also known as Baculoviral IAP Repeat Containing 5, is one such marker. Survivin is a unique member of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein gene family, and is known for its dual function as an apoptosis inhibitor and mitosis regulator. Furthermore, survivin has been demonstrated to be overexpressed in a number of malignancies. The purpose of the present literature review was to gain an overview of studies published on the diagnostic and/or prognostic use of survivin in gliomas. Using PubMed, 19 studies matching the inclusion criteria were ultimately included in the present review. The majority of the studies identified revealed that survivin was significantly associated with other proliferation markers, histological malignancy grade, and inversely associated with prognosis. However, there were a number of inconsistencies between studies, which suggests a requirement for standardization of immunohistochemical procedures.