Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres as a Prognostic Factor in Malignant Fibrous Histiocytomas of Bone

• Published in: Anticancer research Vol. 30; no. 12; pp. 4959 - 4962
• Main Authors: MATSUO, Toshihiro, SHIMOSE, Shoji, KUBO, Tadahiko, FUJIMORI, Jun, YASUNAGA, Yuji, OCHI, Mitsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Attiki International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Acid phosphatase (tartrate-resistant); Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Neoplasms - genetics; Bone Neoplasms - metabolism; Female; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous - genetics; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous - metabolism; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prognosis; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Telomerase - biosynthesis; Telomerase - genetics; Telomerase - metabolism; Telomere - genetics; Tumors; Young Adult; Pseudotumor; Human; Prognosis; RNA-directed DNA polymerase; Sarcoma; malignant fibrous histiocytomas; Enzyme; Transferases; Reverse transcription; Malignant tumor; Osteoarticular system; Nucleotidyltransferases; Cancerology; Fibrous histiocytoma; Malignant histiocytoma; Xanthogranuloma; Benign neoplasm; Bone; Alternative lengthening of telomeres; human telomerase reverse transcriptase; Telomerase; Cancer
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of bone is a rare primary malignant neoplasm. Recent studies indicate a positive correlation between the telomere maintenance mechanism and tumour aggressiveness in sarcomas. This study was undertaken to analyse the clinical significance of telomere factors in primary tumour samples from patients with MFHs of bone. Telomerase activity was measured in ten bone MFH specimens using a PCR-based TRAP assay. Telomere length was assessed using gel hybridisation. Quantitative detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) was performed by real-time PCR. Telomerase activity and hTERT expression were detectable in 100% of tumour samples and 50% of tumour samples had evidence of engagement of the alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) mechanisms. ALT was a significant prognostic risk factor (p = 0.0316). This study suggests that the presence of ALT telomere maintenance mechanisms indicates a poor prognosis for bone MFH patients.