Fascin expression in urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma correlates with unfavourable prognosis.

BACKGROUND

Urinary bladder crothelial carcinoma (UCB) is the most common urinary bladder neoplasm. The present study aims at investigating immunostaining of fascin in UCB in relation to clinicopathologiccriteria in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This study utilised 122 UCB and 25 apparently normal urothelium archival pathologic samples prior to local or systemic therapy. Tissue microarrays were constructed and the generated TMA blocks were used for Immunohistochemical staining. The mouse anti-fascin monoclonal antibody was used. A 25% was used to specify low and high fascin immunostaining.

RESULTS

Fascin immunostaining was detected in UCB and apparently normal urothelium. High immunostaining was statistically less frequent than low fascin immunostaining (≤0.001). In UCB, high fascin immunostaining was associated with older patients (P=0.005) and local disease recurrence (P=0.002). High fascin immunostaining was an independent predictor of local disease recurrence (P=0.002) and associated with poor overall survival (P=0.027).

CONCLUSION

High fascin immunostaining in UCB was associated with adverse prognostic factors and may be used as an independent prognostic marker. Fascin was detected in apparently normal urothelium and may contribute to UCB carcinogenesis. Further investigations (molecular and clinical) are required to understand the molecular interaction of fascin with UCB and its possible therapeutic applications.