Receptor Activator of NF Kappa B (RANK) Expression Indicates Favorable Prognosis in Patients with Muscle-invasive...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Urology

Background:

• Receptor activator of NF kappa B (RANK) and its ligand play roles in T-cell regulation and bone metastasis development.
• The specific role of RANK expression in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the significance of RANK expression in patients diagnosed with MIBC.
• To correlate RANK expression with clinical and pathological characteristics and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Immunohistochemistry was used to assess RANK expression in benign urothelium, MIBC tissues, and lymph node metastases from 153 patients.
• The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort data were analyzed for associations with molecular subtypes and survival outcomes.

Main Results:

• RANK expression was significantly higher in primary tumors and lymph node metastases compared to normal urothelium.
• Lower RANK expression was observed in locally advanced disease and node-positive MIBC.
• High RANK expression was associated with longer recurrence-free survival, improved cancer-specific survival, and better overall survival.

Conclusions:

• RANK expression is upregulated in bladder cancer tissue compared to benign tissue.
• Elevated RANK expression in MIBC is linked to a favorable prognosis, particularly in organ-confined disease.
• The prognostic value of RANK expression may vary across different molecular subtypes of bladder cancer.