The adhesion molecule CD44v6 is associated with a high risk for local recurrence in adult soft tissue sarcomas.

In many malignant diseases the expression levels of CD44 and its splice variant v6 (CD44v6) have been associated with the prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of CD44 in adult soft tissue sarcomas (STS). 133 STS patients with a limb or superficial trunk tumour treated at the Helsinki University Central Hospital in 1987-1993 with a median follow-up time of 68 months were included in this study. The expression of CD44 and CD44v6 was determined immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded tumour samples. 95% of the tumours expressed CD44 and CD44v6 was detected in 57%. Strong CD44 expression was associated with low grade (P = 0.04) and small tumour size (P = 0.02). In diploid tumours the CD44 expression was correlated with low S-phase fraction (P = 0.001). High expression of both, CD44 in general as well as that of CD44v6, predicted a higher risk for local recurrence (CD44: P = 0.01 and CD44v6: P = 0.05). Low CD44v6 content of the primary tumour correlated with poor survival (P = 0.02). Determining the expression of CD44 or CD44v6 in a primary STS could be a valuable tool for selecting the group of patients who might benefit from intensified local tumour treatment.