PV-1: a novel molecular prognostic marker of distant metastases in various solid tumors

Identification of biomarkers for the hematogenous spreading of cancer cells is of paramount prognostic and therapeutic value. We showed that Plasmalemma Vesicle Associated Protein-1 (PV-1) serves as a marker of increased blood vessel permeability and is an independent predictor of colorectal cancer dissemination. This study investigates whether PV-1 can also act as a prognostic marker for distant metastases in other solid tumors. We analyzed samples from 134 patients: 30 luminal breast cancer (BC), 52 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and obtained preliminary data from 52 soft tissue sarcomas (STS). A higher frequency of PV-1+ endothelial cells was significantly associated with metastatic progression in luminal BC and ccRCC. Moreover, the frequency of PV-1+ cells emerged as a significant prognostic factor for metastasis-free survival in both luminal BC and ccRCC. Further research is needed to validate PV-1's prognostic utility, as including it at diagnosis may change the management of these patients and should allow stratification for more aggressive therapies or for closer follow-ups to promptly intervene in case of metastases development.