Lack of TMEM27 expression is associated with postoperative progression of clinically localized conventional renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: In spite of early detection of conventional renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by widespread use of abdominal imaging, approximately 10-15 % of patients will die due to disease. The aim of this study was to identify new biomarkers predicting the postoperative progression of conventional RCC.

METHODS: Tissue multiarrays (TMA) of conventional RCC from a cohort of 486 patients were analysed by immunohistochemistry for expression of the transmembrane protein TMEM27, which was identified as a candidate biomarker by Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 array. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were addressed to assess cancer-specific survival in association with clinicopathological variables and TMEM27 expression. Cancer-specific survival time was estimated with Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the comparison of survival curves was made with the log-rank test.

RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated a poor disease-specific survival rates for tumours without TMEM27 staining. Univariate analysis revealed an association of patient survival with T stadium, grade, stage and size of tumour and TMEM27 expression in all cases as well as in the cohort of patients with postoperative tumour progression. In multivariate analysis, only T stadium and TMEM27 staining showed a significant association with postoperative cancer-specific death (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Lack of expression of the TMEM27 in conventional RCC defines a group of patients at high risk for cancer-related death.