Prognostic value of CD44 in renal cell carcinoma

CD44 is a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. De novo expression of CD44 and its variant isoforms has been associated with aggressive behavior in various tumors. Since little data is available on the role of CD44 expression in renal cell carcinoma, we evaluated CD44 expression to determine its prognostic value. Forty-six patients with renal cell carcinoma were studied. CD44 expression was evaluated semiquantitively on paraffin-embedded tumor tissue by immunohistochemistry. The prognostic value of CD44 was tested using Kaplan Meier plots by the log rank test and Cox regression analysis. Fifteen out of 46 specimens (32.6%) were CD44-positive. According to bivariate analysis, tumor stage, tumor size, nuclear grade and CD44 expression were significant prognostic factors. CD44 expression can be considered as a useful prognostic parameter in renal cell carcinoma.