Low expression of DUSP4 expression predicts unfavorable prognosis in gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), which regulates the mitogen activated protein kinases, has emerged as a tumor suppressor gene in several human malignancies.

AIMS AND

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the clinicopathologic significance and the prognostic role of DUSP4 in gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Materials and methods: DUSP4 expression was evaluated immunohistochemically in tissue microarray from 110 gallbladder adenocarcinoma samples and scored by H score system. The cut off (H score <170) was determined by ROC curve analysis.

Results

Low expression of DUSP4 expression was observed in 57 (51.8%) out of 110 gallbladder adenocarcinoma samples. Low expression of DUSP4 expression was significantly associated with high histologic grade (P = 0.017), high pT stage (P = 0.002) and high AJCC stage (P = 0.007). Kaplan Meier survival curves revealed that patients with low expression of DUSP4 expression had significantly worse cancer specific survival (P = 0.024, log rank test). However, there was no significant association between DUSP4 expression and recurrence free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, gallbladder adenocarcinoma with low expression of DUSP4 expression was associated with adverse clinicopathologic characteristics and poor patient outcome.patient outcome.