Clinicopathological and prognostic value of transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) expression in soft tissue sarcomas

Abstract

Transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3), a microtubule regulator, is associated with various cancers. However, the relationship between TACC3 and soft tissue sarcomas (STS) remains unclear. We investigated the expression of TACC3 in 136 STS patient samples using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, and the statistical associations between TACC3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated. Additionally, the expression levels of the tumor suppressor p53 and of the cell proliferation marker Ki-67 were also assessed by IHC. High TACC3 expression was detected in 94/136 of STS cases (69.1%), and significantly correlated with higher grade according to the French Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer system (P<0.0001), poorer tumor differentiation (P<0.0001), increased mitotic counts (P<0.0001), advanced stage per American Joint Committee on Cancer guidelines (P<0.0001), higher p53 expression (P = 0.0487), higher Ki-67 expression (P<0.0001), and undergoing postoperative therapy (P = 0.0001). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with high TACC3 expression were significantly shorter (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). On multivariate analyses, high TACC3 expression was an independent negative prognostic factor for both DFS and OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.074; P = 0.0235 and HR: 8.521; P = 0.0415, respectively). Our results suggest that TACC3 is an independent prognostic factor and may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of STS.

TACC3 expression as a prognostic factor in aggressive types of adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma patients

“…TACC3 over-expression is associated with Ki-67, which contributes to the aggressiveness of ATLL through the cell's proliferative potential. Similar to our previous report in sarcomas, 12,13 there was a strong correlation between TACC3 over-expression and Ki-67 index in our study (P = .01, data not shown). High TACC3 expression and tumor stage are also associated with solid cancers, 12,13 suggesting that TACC3 expression is related to tumor aggressiveness.…”

“…Similar to our previous report in sarcomas, 12,13 there was a strong correlation between TACC3 over-expression and Ki-67 index in our study (P = .01, data not shown). High TACC3 expression and tumor stage are also associated with solid cancers, 12,13 suggesting that TACC3 expression is related to tumor aggressiveness. In ATLL, we also compared nPD-1, miPD-1, CCR4, and TACC3 expression, which we previously reported as aggressive prognostic markers, 15 other than Ki-67, but there was no correlation between them and TACC3.…”

“…In the current study, we found that TACC3‐high patients were significantly older than TACC3‐low patients. Such trends were not identified in our previous studies 12,13 . Although this relationship has only been observed in ATLL patients, TACC3‐high is an independent prognostic factor when taking into account a patient's age.…”

“…Such trends were not identified in our previous studies. 12,13 Although this relationship has only been observed in ATLL patients, TACC3-high is an independent prognostic factor when taking into account a patient's age.…”

“…11 Additionally, our group previously reported that the over-expression of TACC3 correlates with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in soft tissue sarcoma and osteosarcoma. 12,13 Reports have also shown that TACC3 expression may affect clinicopathological features.…”