Expression levels of FGFR3 as a prognostic marker for the progression of primary pT1 bladder cancer and its association with mutation status

• Published in: Oncology letters Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 3817 - 3824
• Main Authors: Kang, Ho Won, Kim, Ye-Hwan, Jeong, Pildu, Park, Cheol, Kim, Won Tae, Ryu, Dong Hee, Cha, Eun-Jong, Ha, Yun-Sok, Kim, Tae-Hwan, Kwon, Tae Gyun, Moon, Sung-Kwon, Choi, Yung Hyun, Yun, Seok-Joong, Kim, Wun-Jae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.09.2017; Spandidos Publications; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Bladder cancer; Care and treatment; Clinical medicine; Development and progression; expression; Females; fibroblast growth factor receptor 3; Fibroblast growth factor receptors; Fibroblasts; Gender; Gene expression; Gene mutation; Genetic aspects; Growth factors; Health aspects; Kinases; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; Multivariate analysis; Mutation; Oncology; Patients; prognosis; Rodents; Standard deviation; Studies; Tumors; mutation; expression; prognosis; bladder cancer; fibroblast growth factor receptor 3
• ISSN: 1792-1074; 1792-1082
• DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6621

The present study examined the utility of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation status and gene expression as a prognostic marker in primary pT1 bladder cancer (BC). A total of 120 patients with primary pT1 BC were enrolled. FGFR3 mutation status was determined by direct sequencing and FGFR3 mRNA expression level was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. The results were compared with the clinicopathological parameters, and the prognostic value of FGFR3 was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and a multivariate Cox regression test. FGFR3 mutations were identified in 48/120 (40.0%) patients with pT1 BC. FGFR3 mRNA expression level was significantly higher in those with BC harboring FGFR3 mutations (P<0.001). Low FGFR3 expression level was associated with high-grade tumors and cancer progression (P=0.006 and P=0.001), whereas FGFR3 mutation status was not associated with cancer progression. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a similar result (log-rank, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified low FGFR3 expression level (odds ratio, 3.300; 95% confidence interval, 1.310-8.313; P=0.011) as an independent predictor of cancer progression. Stratification by exon site of FGFR3 mutations yielded significant differences in mRNA expression level. None of the patients with BC harboring FGFR3 mutations in exon 9 demonstrated disease progression. The mRNA expression level of the FGFR3 gene may be used to precisely identify subsets of patients with pT1 BC that have a relatively better prognosis. The prognostic influences of FGFR3 mutations may be modulated by the exon site of FGFR3 mutations.