TLE1 is a robust diagnostic biomarker for synovial sarcomas and correlates with t(X;18): analysis of 319 cases.

Introduction: Genomewide expression profiling has identified a number of genes expressed at higher levels in synovial sarcoma than in other sarcomas. Our objectives in this study were (1) to test whether the differentially expressed gene, Transducin-Like Enhancer of split (TLE1) belonging to the groucho/TLE family, is also distinct on the protein level; (2) to evaluate this biomarker in a series of well-characterised synovial sarcomas on standard, full-sized tissue sections and (3) to correlate the expression of TLE1 with t(X;18) and other established biomarkers.

Methods: Three-hundred and eighty four spindle cell sarcomas from the German consultation and reference centre of soft tissue tumours initially suspected for synovial sarcoma were revisited.