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Märkl B, Reitsam NG, Grochowski P, Waidhauser J, Grosser B. The SARIFA biomarker in the context of basic research of lipid-driven cancers. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:165. [PMID: 39085485 PMCID: PMC11291993 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00662-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SARIFA was very recently introduced as a histomorphological biomarker with strong prognostic power for colorectal, gastric, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. It is characterized by the direct contact between tumor cells and adipocytes due to a lack of stromal reaction. This can be easily evaluated on routinely available H&E-slides with high interobserver agreement. SARIFA also reflects a specific tumor biology driven by metabolic reprogramming. Tumor cells in SARIFA-positive tumors benefit from direct interaction with adipocytes as an external source of lipids. Numerous studies have shown that lipid metabolism is crucial in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. We found that the interaction between tumor cells and adipocytes was not triggered by obesity, as previously assumed. Instead, we believe that this is due to an immunological mechanism. Knowledge about lipid metabolism in cancer from basic experiments can be transferred to develop strategies targeting this reprogramed metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Przemyslaw Grochowski
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
- WERA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Augsburg, Germany
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Offermans K, Reitsam NG, Simons CCJM, Grosser B, Zimmermann J, Grabsch HI, Märkl B, van den Brandt PA. The relationship between Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA), Warburg-subtype and survival: results from a large prospective series of colorectal cancer patients. Cancer Metab 2024; 12:21. [PMID: 38992781 PMCID: PMC11241902 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-024-00349-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) is a recently identified haematoxylin & eosin (H&E)based histopathologic biomarker in gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), defined as direct contact between tumour cells and adipocytes at the tumour invasion front. The current study aimed at validating the prognostic relevance of SARIFA in a large population-based CRC series as well as at investigating the relationship between SARIFA-status and previously established Warburg-subtypes, both surrogates of the metabolic state of the tumour cells. METHODS SARIFA-status (positive versus negative) was determined on H&E slides of 1,727 CRC specimens. Warburg-subtype (high versus moderate versus low) data was available from our previous study. The associations between SARIFA-status, Warburg-subtype, clinicopathological characteristics and CRC-specific as well as overall survival were investigated. RESULTS 28.7% (n=496) CRC were SARIFA-positive. SARIFA-positivity was associated with more advanced disease stage, higher pT category, and more frequent lymph node involvement (all p<0.001). SARIFA-positivity was more common in Warburg-high CRC. 44.2% (n=219) of SARIFA-positive CRCs were Warburg-high compared to 22.8% (n=113) being Warburg-low and 33.1% (n=164) being Warburg-moderate (p<0.001). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, patients with SARIFA-positive CRCs had significantly poorer CRC-specific (HRCRC-specific 1.65; 95% CI 1.41-1.93) and overall survival (HRoverall survival 1.46; 95% CI 1.28-1.67) independent of clinically known risk factors and independent of Warburg-subtype. Combining the SARIFA-status and the Warburg-subtype to a combination score (SARIFA-negative/Warburg-high versus SARIFA-positive/Warburg-low versus SARIFA-positive/Warburg-high, and so on) did not improve the survival prediction compared to the use of SARIFA-status alone (SARIFA-negative + Warburg-high: HRCRC-specific 1.08; 95% CI 0.84-1.38; SARIFA-positive + Warburg-low: HRCRC-specific 1.79; 95% CI 1.32-2.41; SARIFA-positive + Warburg-high: HRCRC-specific 1.58; 95% CI 1.23-2.04). CONCLUSIONS Our current study is the by far largest external validation of SARIFA-positivity as a novel independent negative prognostic H&E-based biomarker in CRC. In addition, our study shows that SARIFA-positivity is associated with the Warburg-high subtype. Further research is warranted to provide a more mechanistic understanding of the underlying tumour biology. Based on our data, we conclude SARIFA-status should be implemented in pathologic routine practice to stratify CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Offermans
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | - Colinda C J M Simons
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Heike I Grabsch
- Department of Pathology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
- Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Piet A van den Brandt
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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Grochowski P, Grosser B, Sommer F, Probst A, Waidhauser J, Schenkirsch G, Reitsam NG, Märkl B. The Concept of Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as a new prognostic biomarker for lipid-driven cancers holds true in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:768. [PMID: 38926671 PMCID: PMC11210040 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12519-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a 'difficult-to-treat' entity. To forecast its prognosis, we introduced a new biomarker, SARIFA (stroma areactive invasion front areas), which are areas at the tumour invasion front lacking desmoplastic stroma reaction upon malignant invasion in the surrounding tissue, leading to direct contact between tumour cells and adipocytes. SARIFA showed its significance in gastric and colorectal carcinoma, revealing lipid metabolism alternations that promote tumour progression. METHODS We reviewed the SARIFA status of 166 PDAC cases on all available H&E-stained tumour slides from archival Whipple-resection specimens. SARIFA positivity was defined as SARIFA detection in at least 66% of the available slides. To investigate alterations in tumour metabolism and microenvironment, we performed immunohistochemical staining for FABP4, CD36 and CD68. To verify and quantify a supposed delipidation of adipocytes, adipose tissue was digitally morphometrised. RESULTS In total, 53 cases (32%) were classified as SARIFA positive and 113 (68%) as SARIFA negative. Patients with SARIFA-positive PDAC showed a significantly worse overall survival compared with SARIFA-negative cases (median overall survival: 11.0 months vs. 22.0 months, HR: 1.570 (1.082-2.278), 95% CI, p = 0.018), which was independent from other prognostic markers (p = 0.014). At the invasion front of SARIFA-positive PDAC, we observed significantly higher expression of FABP4 (p < 0.0001) and higher concentrations of CD68+ macrophages (p = 0.031) related to a higher risk of tumour progression. CD36 staining showed no significant expression differences. The adipocyte areas at the invasion front were significantly smaller, with mean values of 4021 ± 1058 µm2 and 1812 ± 1008 µm2 for the SARIFA-negative and -positive cases, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS SARIFA is a promising prognostic biomarker for PDAC. Its assessment is characterised by simplicity and low effort. The mechanisms behind SARIFA suggest a tumour-promoting increased lipid metabolism and altered immune background, both showing new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Florian Sommer
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Probst
- Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
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Reitsam NG, Grosser B, Enke JS, Mueller W, Westwood A, West NP, Quirke P, Märkl B, Grabsch HI. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA): a novel histopathologic biomarker in colorectal cancer patients and its association with the luminal tumour proportion. Transl Oncol 2024; 44:101913. [PMID: 38593584 PMCID: PMC11024380 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) is a novel prognostic histopathologic biomarker measured at the invasive front in haematoxylin & eosin (H&E) stained colon and gastric cancer resection specimens. The aim of the current study was to validate the prognostic relevance of SARIFA-status in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and investigate its association with the luminal proportion of tumour (PoT). METHODS We established the SARIFA-status in 164 CRC resection specimens. The relationship between SARIFA-status, clinicopathological characteristics, recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and PoT was investigated. RESULTS SARIFA-status was positive in 22.6% of all CRCs. SARIFA-positivity was related to higher pT, pN, pTNM stage and high grade of differentiation. SARIFA-positivity was associated with shorter RFS independent of known prognostic factors analysing all CRCs (RFS: hazard ratio (HR) 2.6, p = 0.032, CSS: HR 2.4, p = 0.05) and shorter RFS and CSS analysing only rectal cancers. SARIFA-positivity, which was measured at the invasive front, was associated with PoT-low (p = 0.009), e.g., higher stroma content, and lower vessel density (p = 0.0059) measured at the luminal tumour surface. CONCLUSION Here, we validated the relationship between SARIFA-status and prognosis in CRC patients and provided first evidence for a potential prognostic relevance in the subgroup of rectal cancer patients. Interestingly, CRCs with different SARIFA-status also showed histological differences measurable at the luminal tumour surface. Further studies to better understand the relationship between high luminal intratumoural stroma content and absence of a stroma reaction at the invasive front (SARIFA-positivity) are warranted and may inform future treatment decisions in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - B Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - J S Enke
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - W Mueller
- Gemeinschaftspraxis Pathologie, Starnberg, Germany
| | - A Westwood
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - N P West
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - P Quirke
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - B Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - H I Grabsch
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Department of Pathology, GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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Fekete Z, Ignat P, Resiga AC, Todor N, Muntean AS, Resiga L, Curcean S, Lazar G, Gherman A, Eniu D. Unselective Measurement of Tumor-to-Stroma Proportion in Colon Cancer at the Invasion Front-An Elusive Prognostic Factor: Original Patient Data and Review of the Literature. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:836. [PMID: 38667481 PMCID: PMC11049389 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14080836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumor-to-stroma ratio is a highly debated prognostic factor in the management of several solid tumors and there is no universal agreement on its practicality. In our study, we proposed confirming or dismissing the hypothesis that a simple measurement of stroma quantity is an easy-to-use and strong prognostic tool. We have included 74 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who underwent primary curative abdominal surgery. The tumors have been grouped into stroma-poor (stroma < 10%), medium-stroma (between 10 and 50%) and stroma-rich (over 50%). The proportion of tumor stroma ranged from 5% to 70% with a median of 25%. Very few, only 6.8% of patients, had stroma-rich tumors, 4% had stroma-poor tumors and 89.2% had tumors with a medium quantity of stroma. The proportion of stroma, at any cut-off, had no statistically significant influence on the disease-specific survival. This can be explained by the low proportion of stroma-rich tumors in our patient group and the inverse correlation between stroma proportion and tumor grade. The real-life proportion of stroma-rich tumors and the complex nature of the stroma-tumor interaction has to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Fekete
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Patricia Ignat
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | | | - Nicolae Todor
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Alina-Simona Muntean
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Liliana Resiga
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Sebastian Curcean
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Gabriel Lazar
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
| | - Alexandra Gherman
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
- “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuță” Oncology Institute, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (N.T.); (A.-S.M.); (L.R.)
| | - Dan Eniu
- Department of Oncology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (P.I.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (A.G.); (D.E.)
- Nicolae Stăncioiu Heart Institute, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Reitsam NG, Grozdanov V, Löffler CML, Muti HS, Grosser B, Kather JN, Märkl B. Novel biomarker SARIFA in colorectal cancer: highly prognostic, not genetically driven and histologic indicator of a distinct tumor biology. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:207-216. [PMID: 37990064 PMCID: PMC10874891 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
SARIFA (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas) has recently emerged as a promising histopathological biomarker for colon and gastric cancer. To elucidate the underlying tumor biology, we assessed SARIFA-status in tissue specimens from The-Cancer-Genome-Atlas (TCGA) cohorts COAD (colonic adenocarcinoma) and READ (rectal adenocarcinoma). For the final analysis, 207 CRC patients could be included, consisting of 69 SARIFA-positive and 138 SARIFA-negative cases. In this external validation cohort, H&E-based SARIFA-positivity was strongly correlated with unfavorable overall, disease-specific, and progression-free survival, partly outperforming conventional prognostic factors. SARIFA-positivity was not associated with known high-risk genetic profiles, such as BRAF V600E mutations or microsatellite-stable status. Transcriptionally, SARIFA-positive CRCs exhibited an overlap with CRC consensus molecular subtypes CMS1 and CMS4, along with distinct differential gene expression patterns, linked to lipid metabolism and increased stromal cell infiltration scores (SIIS). Gene-expression-based drug sensitivity prediction revealed a differential treatment response in SARIFA-positive CRCs. In conclusion, SARIFA represents the H&E-based counterpart of an aggressive tumor biology, demonstrating a partial overlap with CMS1/4 and also adding a further biological layer related to lipid metabolism. Our findings underscore SARIFA-status as an ideal biomarker for refined patient stratification and novel drug developments, particularly given its cost-effective assessment based on routinely available H&E slides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany.
| | | | - Chiara M L Löffler
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannah S Muti
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jakob N Kather
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Augsburg, Germany
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Grosser B, Emmerson J, Reitsam NG, Cunningham D, Nankivell M, Langley RE, Allum WH, Trepel M, Märkl B, Grabsch HI. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) improves prognostic risk stratification of perioperative chemotherapy treated oesophagogastric cancer patients from the MAGIC and the ST03 trial. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:457-466. [PMID: 38123705 PMCID: PMC10844337 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02515-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumour-associated fat cells without desmoplastic stroma reaction at the invasion front (Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA)) is a prognostic biomarker in gastric and colon cancer. The clinical utility of the SARIFA status in oesophagogastric cancer patients treated with perioperative chemotherapy is currently unknown. METHODS The SARIFA status was determined in tissue sections from patients recruited into the MAGIC (n = 292) or ST03 (n = 693) trials treated with surgery alone (S, MAGIC) or perioperative chemotherapy (MAGIC, ST03). The relationship between SARIFA status, clinicopathological factors, overall survival (OS) and treatment was analysed. RESULTS The SARIFA status was positive in 42% MAGIC trial S patients, 28% MAGIC and 48% ST03 patients after pre-operative chemotherapy. SARIFA status was related to OS in MAGIC trial S patients and was an independent prognostic biomarker in ST03 trial patients (HR 1.974, 95% CI 1.555-2.507, p < 0.001). ST03 patients with lymph node metastasis (ypN + ) and SARIFA-positive tumours had poorer OS than patients with ypN+ and SARIFA-negative tumours (plogrank < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The SARIFA status has clinical utility as prognostic biomarker in oesophagogastric cancer patients irrespective of treatment modality. Whilst underlying biological mechanisms warrant further investigation, the SARIFA status might be used to identify new drug targets, potentially enabling repurposing of existing drugs targeting lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jake Emmerson
- Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - David Cunningham
- Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Matthew Nankivell
- Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, London, UK
| | - Ruth E Langley
- Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, London, UK
| | - William H Allum
- Department of Oncology and Department of Surgery, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Martin Trepel
- Haematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Heike I Grabsch
- Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Division of Pathology and Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's University, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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Enke JS, Groß M, Grosser B, Sipos E, Steinestel J, Löhr P, Waidhauser J, Lapa C, Märkl B, Reitsam NG. SARIFA as a new histopathological biomarker is associated with adverse clinicopathological characteristics, tumor-promoting fatty-acid metabolism, and might predict a metastatic pattern in pT3a prostate cancer. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:65. [PMID: 38216952 PMCID: PMC10785487 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11771-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, we introduced Stroma-AReactive-Invasion-Front-Areas (SARIFA) as a novel hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-based histopathologic prognostic biomarker for various gastrointestinal cancers, closely related to lipid metabolism. To date, no studies on SARIFA, which is defined as direct tumor-adipocyte-interaction, beyond the alimentary tract exist. Hence, the objective of our current investigation was to study the significance of SARIFA in pT3a prostate cancer (PCa) and explore its association with lipid metabolism in PCa as lipid metabolism plays a key role in PCa development and progression. METHODS To this end, we evaluated SARIFA-status in 301 radical prostatectomy specimens and examined the relationship between SARIFA-status, clinicopathological characteristics, overall survival, and immunohistochemical expression of FABP4 and CD36 (proteins closely involved in fatty-acid metabolism). Additionally, we investigated the correlation between SARIFA and biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) and PSMA-positive recurrences in PET/CT imaging in a patient subgroup. Moreover, a quantitative SARIFA cut-off was established to further understand the underlying tumor biology. RESULTS SARIFA positivity occurred in 59.1% (n = 178) of pT3a PCas. Our analysis demonstrated that SARIFA positivity is strongly associated with established high-risk features, such as R1 status, extraprostatic extension, and higher initial PSA values. Additionally, we observed an upregulation of immunohistochemical CD36 expression specifically at SARIFAs (p = 0.00014). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed a trend toward poorer outcomes, particularly in terms of BRFS (p = 0.1). More extensive tumor-adipocyte interaction, assessed as quantity-dependent SARIFA-status on H&E slides, is also significantly associated with high-risk features, such as lymph node metastasis, and seems to be associated with worse survival outcomes (p = 0.16). Moreover, SARIFA positivity appeared to be linked to more distant lymph node and bone metastasis, although statistical significance was slightly not achieved (both p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to introduce SARIFA as easy-and-fast-to-assess H&E-based biomarker in locally advanced PCa. SARIFA as the histopathologic correlate of a distinct tumor biology, closely related to lipid metabolism, could pave the way to a more detailed patient stratification and to the development of novel drugs targeting lipid metabolism in pT3a PCa. On the basis of this biomarker discovery study, further research efforts on the prognostic and predictive role of SARIFA in PCa can be designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna S Enke
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Groß
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Eva Sipos
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Julie Steinestel
- Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Phillip Löhr
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Waidhauser
- Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Constantin Lapa
- Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
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Grosser B, Heyer CM, Austgen J, Sipos E, Reitsam NG, Hauser A, VanSchoiack A, Kroeppler D, Vlasenko D, Probst A, Novotny A, Weichert W, Keller G, Schlesner M, Märkl B. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) proves prognostic relevance in gastric carcinoma and is based on a tumor-adipocyte interaction indicating an altered immune response. Gastric Cancer 2024; 27:72-85. [PMID: 37874427 PMCID: PMC10761465 DOI: 10.1007/s10120-023-01436-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, we presented Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as a new histomorphologic negative prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer. It is defined as direct contact between tumor cells and fat cells. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the underlying genomic, transcriptional, and immunological mechanisms of the SARIFA phenomenon. METHODS To address these questions, SARIFA was classified on H&E-stained tissue sections of three cohorts: an external cohort (n = 489, prognostic validation), the TCGA-STAD cohort (n = 194, genomic and transcriptomic analysis), and a local cohort (n = 60, digital spatial profiling (whole transcriptome) and double RNA in situ hybridization/immunostaining of cytokines). RESULTS SARIFA status proved to be an independent negative prognostic factor for overall survival in an external cohort of gastric carcinomas. In TCGA-STAD cohort, SARIFA is not driven by distinct genomic alterations, whereas the gene expression analyses showed an upregulation of FABP4 in SARIFA-positive tumors. In addition, the transcriptional regulations of white adipocyte differentiation, triglyceride metabolism, and catabolism were upregulated in pathway analyses. In the DSP analysis of SARIFA-positive tumors, FABP4 and the transcriptional regulation of white adipocyte differentiation were upregulated in macrophages. Additionally, a significantly lower expression of the cytokines IL6 and TNFα was observed at the invasion front. CONCLUSIONS SARIFA proves to be a strong negative prognostic biomarker in advanced gastric cancer, implicating an interaction of tumor cells with tumor-promoting adipocytes with crucial changes in tumor cell metabolism. SARIFA is not driven by tumor genetics but is very likely driven by an altered immune response as a causative mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Christian M Heyer
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Austgen
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Eva Sipos
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hauser
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Dmytro Vlasenko
- General and Visceral Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Probst
- Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Novotny
- Department of Surgery, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gisela Keller
- Institute of Pathology, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Schlesner
- Biomedical Informatics, Data Mining and Data Analytics, Faculty of Applied Computer Science and Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical Faculty Augsburg, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstraße 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
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10
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Muti HS, Röcken C, Behrens HM, Löffler CML, Reitsam NG, Grosser B, Märkl B, Stange DE, Jiang X, Velduizen GP, Truhn D, Ebert MP, Grabsch HI, Kather JN. Deep learning trained on lymph node status predicts outcome from gastric cancer histopathology: a retrospective multicentric study. Eur J Cancer 2023; 194:113335. [PMID: 37862795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
AIM Gastric cancer (GC) is a tumour entity with highly variant outcomes. Lymph node metastasis is a prognostically adverse biomarker. We hypothesised that GC primary tissue contains information that is predictive of lymph node status and patient prognosis and that this information can be extracted using deep learning (DL). METHODS Using three patient cohorts comprising 1146 patients, we trained and validated a DL system to predict lymph node status directly from haematoxylin and eosin-stained GC tissue sections. We investigated the concordance between the DL-based prediction from the primary tumour slides (aiN score) and the histopathological lymph node status (pN). Furthermore, we assessed the prognostic value of the aiN score alone and when combined with the pN status. RESULTS The aiN score predicted the pN status reaching area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.71 in the training cohort and 0.69 and 0.65 in the two test cohorts. In a multivariate Cox analysis, the aiN score was an independent predictor of patient survival with hazard ratios of 1.5 in the training cohort and of 1.3 and 2.2 in the two test cohorts. A combination of the aiN score and the pN status prognostically stratified patients by survival with p-values <0.05 in logrank tests. CONCLUSION GC primary tumour tissue contains additional prognostic information that is accessible using the aiN score. In combination with the pN status, this can be used for personalised management of GC patients after prospective validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S Muti
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph Röcken
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Chiara M L Löffler
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nic G Reitsam
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Grosser
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Daniel E Stange
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Xiaofeng Jiang
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gregory P Velduizen
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel Truhn
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Aachen, Germany
| | - Matthias P Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center, Mannheim, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Healthy Metabolism, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike I Grabsch
- Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jakob N Kather
- Else Kroener Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Pathology & Data Analytics, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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11
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Hu Q, Wang Y, Yao S, Mao Y, Liu L, Li Z, Chen Y, Zhang S, Li Q, Zhao Y, Fan X, Cui Y, Zhao K, Liu Z. Desmoplastic Reaction Associates with Prognosis and Adjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:1057-1066. [PMID: 37377615 PMCID: PMC10269709 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Desmoplastic reaction (DR) is one of many tumor-host interactions and is associated with the overall survival (OS) of patients with colorectal cancer. However, the clinical significance of DR requires further study in large multicenter cohorts and its predictive value in adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) response remains unclear. Here, a total of 2,225 patients with colorectal cancer from five independent institutions were divided into primary (N = 1,012 from two centers) and validation (N = 1,213 from three centers) cohorts. DR was classified as immature, middle, or mature depending on the presence of myxoid stroma and hyalinized collagen bundles at the invasive front of the primary tumor. OS among different subgroups were compared, and the correlations of DR type with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within stroma, tumor stroma ratio (TSR), and Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) were also analyzed. In the primary cohort, patients with mature DR had the highest 5-year survival rate. These findings were confirmed in validation cohort. In addition, for stage II colorectal cancer, patients classified as non-mature DR would benefit from ACT compared with surgery alone. Furthermore, immature and middle DR were more associated with high TSR, less distribution of TILs within stroma and positive SARIFA compared with mature. Taken together, these data suggest that DR is a robust-independent prognostic factor for patients with colorectal cancer. For patients with stage II colorectal cancer, non-mature DR could be a potential marker for recognizing high-risk patients who may benefit from ACT. Significance DR has the potential to identify patients with high-risk colorectal cancer and predict the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colorectal cancer. Our findings support reporting DR types as additional pathologic parameters in clinical practice for more precise risk stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingru Hu
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yiting Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Su Yao
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yun Mao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Liu Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Zhenhui Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Yunnan Cancer Center, Kunming, P.R. China
| | - Yonghe Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Shenyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yingnan Zhao
- School of Computer Science and Cyber Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xinjuan Fan
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yanfen Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Department of Radiology, Shanxi Cancer Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, P.R. China
| | - Ke Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zaiyi Liu
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
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12
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Alterations in Natural Killer Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients with Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA). Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030994. [PMID: 36765951 PMCID: PMC9913252 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, our group introduced Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as an independent prognostic predictor for a poorer outcome in colon cancer patients, which is probably based on immunologic alterations combined with a direct tumor-adipocyte interaction: the two together reflecting a distinct tumor biology. Considering it is already known that peripheral immune cells are altered in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, this study aims to investigate the changes in lymphocyte subsets in SARIFA-positive cases and correlate these changes with the local immune response. METHODS Flow cytometry was performed to analyze B, T, and natural killer (NK) cells in the peripheral blood (PB) of 45 CRC patients. Consecutively, lymphocytes in PB, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and CD56+ and CD57+ lymphocytes at the invasion front and the tumor center were compared between patients with SARIFA-positive and SARIFA-negative CRCs. RESULTS Whereas no differences could be observed regarding most PB lymphocyte populations as well as TILs, NK cells were dramatically reduced in the PB of SARIFA-positive cases. Moreover, CD56 and CD57 immunohistochemistry suggested SARIFA-status-dependent changes regarding NK cells and NK-like lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION This study proves that our newly introduced biomarker, SARIFA, comes along with distinct immunologic alterations, especially regarding NK cells.
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13
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Grosser B, Glückstein MI, Dhillon C, Schiele S, Dintner S, VanSchoiack A, Kroeppler D, Martin B, Probst A, Vlasenko D, Schenkirsch G, Märkl B. Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) - a new prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer related to tumor-promoting adipocytes. J Pathol 2021; 256:71-82. [PMID: 34580877 DOI: 10.1002/path.5810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Compared to other malignancies, there is a lack of easy-to-evaluate biomarkers for gastric cancer, which is associated with an adverse clinical outcome in many cases. Here, we present Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas (SARIFA) as a new histological prognostic marker. We defined SARIFA as the direct contact between a cluster of tumor glands/cells comprising at least five tumor cells and inconspicuous surrounding adipose tissue at the invasion front. A total of 480 adenocarcinomas of the stomach and the gastroesophageal junction from two different collections were classified according to SARIFA. To understand the potential underlying mechanisms, a transcriptome analysis was conducted using digital spatial profiling (DSP). It was found that 20% of the tumors were SARIFA-positive. Kappa values between the three pathologists were good in both collections: 0.74 and 0.78. Patients who presented SARIFA-positive tumors had a significantly lower overall survival in Collections A (median: 20.0 versus 44.0 months; p = 0.014, n = 160) and B (median: 15.0 versus 41.0 months; p < 0.0001, n = 320). SARIFA positivity emerged as a negative independent prognostic factor for overall survival (HR 1.638, 95% CI 1.153-2.326, p = 0.006). Using DSP, the most upregulated genes in SARIFA-positive cases were those associated with triglyceride catabolism and endogenous sterols. COL15A1, FABP2, and FABP4 were differentially expressed in positive cases. At the protein level, the expression of proteins related to lipid metabolism was confirmed. SARIFA combines low inter-observer variability, minimal effort, and high prognostic relevance, and is therefore an extremely promising biomarker related to tumor-promoting adipocytes in gastric cancer. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Grosser
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Marie-Isabelle Glückstein
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Christine Dhillon
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Schiele
- Institute of Mathematics and Computational Statistics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Dintner
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Benedikt Martin
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Probst
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Dmytro Vlasenko
- General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Bruno Märkl
- General Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
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