Clinical significance of galectin-3 expression in urinary bladder carcinoma.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To uncover the clinical significance of galectin-3 in the evolution of urinary bladder cancer by defining galectin-3 expression and examining the relationship between its expression in a group of urothelial carcinomas versus normal tissues along with clinicopathological factors.

METHODS:

This retrospective study included histopathological reports and archival blocks and slides of all patients with urinary bladder cancer treated at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). An anti-galectin-3 monoclonal antibody was used for immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray slides comprising 128 cases of urothelium carcinoma and 24 specimens of normal bladder mucosa.

RESULTS:

Galectin-3 was downregulated during transformation, with positive expression found in 50 (39%) urinary bladder neoplasms, of which 33 (66%) showed weak immunostaining. All positively-stained malignant tumor and normal bladder mucosa samples showed cytoplasmic staining; a few samples also showed nuclear staining. No correlation was noted between galectin-3 and histotype, grade, stage, muscularis propria invasion, lymph node invasion, vascular invasion, or metastasis. A Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier survival curves did not show differences in survival on the basis of galectin-3 expression.

CONCLUSION:

Galectin-3 is down-regulated in bladder cancer but is not a helpful marker for the diagnosis or prognosis of urinary bladder cancer.

• Authors: Jaudah Ahmed Al-Maghrabi, Mohamad Nidal Khabaz
• Journal: The Journal of international medical research (J Int Med Res) Vol. 51 Issue 2 Pg. 3000605231153323 (Feb 2023) ISSN: 1473-2300 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 36748414 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Galectin 3
• Biomarkers, Tumor

Topics

• Humans
• Urinary Bladder (pathology)
• Galectin 3 (genetics)
• Retrospective Studies
• Clinical Relevance
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms (pathology)
• Carcinoma, Transitional Cell (pathology)
• Prognosis
• Biomarkers, Tumor