High CTLA-4 expression correlates with poor prognosis in thymoma patients

摘要: Thymomas, tumors that arise from epithelial cells of the thymus gland, are most common neoplasms anterior mediastinum, with an incidence rate approximately 2.5 per million/year. Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4 or CD152) exerts inhibitory activity on cells, and since its oncogenic role in progression different types tumors, it has emerged as a potential therapeutic target cancer patients. In this study, we assessed expression CTLA-4 both at mRNA protein levels paraffin embedded-tissues patients thymomas. Furthermore, evaluated relationship between clinical-pathologic characteristics prognosis Sixty-eight median age corresponding to 62 years were included analysis. Thymomas classified accordingly WHO Masaoka-Koga for histochemical analysis prognostic significance. A statistical difference was found human normal compared thymoma specimens. statistically progressively increase A, B1, B2, AB maximal B3 According pathological classification, lower I, IIA IIB, higher invasive III IV stages. By confocal microscopy identified tumor CD45+ tumor-infiltrating leukocytes, mainly Finally, overexpression significantly correlates reduced overall survival atypical subgroup, suggesting represents negative factor.