SOX2 Expression in Patients who Underwent Radical Cystectomy for Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

Charles U. Nottingham, Sanjay G. Patel, Peter E. Clark, David J. DeGraff, Justin R. Gregg, Blake B. Anderson, Gladell P. Paner, Gary D. Steinberg and Donald J. Vander Griend

Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine, USA
Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma, USA
Department of Urology, Vanderbilt University, USA
Departments of Pathology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, USA
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, USA
The Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, USA

^*Correspondance to: Donald J. Vander Griend 

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Abstract:

Background: SOX2 is a transcription factor essential for maintaining the survival and pluripotency of stem cells. Previous studies have described the role of SOX2 in breast, esophageal, and nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer correlating with poor patient outcome.
Methods: We obtained a series of annotated TMAs from patients who underwent radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). Tumor specimens were stained for SOX2 and scored by a single genitourinary pathologist. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine patient and pathologic characteristics correlating with SOX2 score. A univariate survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model.
Results: From a total of 271 total patients who underwent radical cystectomy for UCB, 114 (42.1%) had SOX2 scores >0. On univariate analysis SOX2 score >0 positively correlated with the presence of carcinoma in situ (CIS) (p<0.002) and older patient age, but negatively correlated with pathologic stage T2 and higher. On multivariate analysis older age and presence of CIS similarly correlated with SOX2 score >0. There was no difference in overall survival between patients based on SOX2 score.
Conclusion: The presence of SOX2 in bladder cancer specimens correlated with the presence of CIS at cystectomy, and patient age, but did not correlate with survival. Further investigation of early high-grade lesions may elucidate the role of SOX2 in UCB carcinogenesis.

Keywords:

SOX2; Bladder cancer; Carcinoma in situ; Cystectomy

Cite the Article:

Nottingham CU, Patel SG, Clark PE, DeGraff DJ, Gregg JR, Anderson BB, et al. SOX2 Expression in Patients who Underwent Radical Cystectomy for Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder. Clin Oncol. 2016; 1: 1022.