Comparison of tumor grade and stage with nuclear factor kappa b and p38 mitogene activated protein kinase expressions in renal cell cancer.

OBJECTIVES

Renal cancer is common among urinary system cancers. Most common one is clear cell carcinoma and it makes up 60-70% of renal cell carcinomas. Invasion pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms that take part are crucial for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of this disease. In this study, nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB/p65) and p38 mitogene activated protein kinase, which play an important role in signal transduction system of clear cell renal carcinoma, are assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We considered 40 patients who had radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy for renal tumor in Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital 1st Urology Clinic. Normal tissue samples of these patients were used as control group. Paraffin embedded samples of renal cancer were studied with immunohistochemistry using spesific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies of NFKB and MAPKC Expression density was compared with tumor grade and diameter, semiquantitively. Results were assessed with Spearman correlation and Pearson chi-square tests.

RESULTS

There were 28 (70%) males and 12 (30%) females in our study. Age range of patients was between 19 and 80 years, and mean age was 59.3 +/- 13.4. NFKB and p38MAPK expressions were higher in cancer specimens compared with control group (p < 0.05). Tumor diameter and grade increase were directly correlated with p65(NFKB) and p38MAPK expression (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MAPK and NFKB expression is related to tumor grade and stage. Also more studies are needed to define the relationship with lymph node metastasis, organ metastasis and survival rates.