Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38964294›Full record

ArticlePathobiology : journal of immunopathology, molecular and cellular biology2025

Prognostic Value of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Marker Expression in the Intratumoral and Marginal Areas of Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Michinobu Umakoshi, Yukitsugu Kudo-Asabe, Hiroyuki Tsuchie, Zhuo Li, Kei Koyama, Ken Miyabe, Makoto Yoshida, Hiroyuki Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nanjo, Kyoji Okada and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pathobiology : journal of immunopathology, molecular and cellular biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Michinobu UmakoshiDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Yukitsugu Kudo-AsabeDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Hiroyuki TsuchieDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Zhuo LiDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Kei KoyamaDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Ken MiyabeDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Makoto YoshidaDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Hiroyuki NagasawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Hiroshi NanjoDepartment of Pathology, Akita University Hospital, Akita, Japan.
Kyoji OkadaDepartment of Physical Therapy, Akita University Graduate School of Health Science, Akita, Japan.
Daichi MaedaDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Naohisa MiyakoshiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Masamitsu TanakaDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Biochemistry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
Akiteru GotoDepartment of Cellular and Organ Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe tumor microenvironment of sarcomas has not been studied in detail; in particular, little is known about cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Sarcoma cells are difficult to distinguish from CAFs, either histomorphologically or immunohistochemically.

methodsWe scored the expression of individual CAF markers (fibroblast-activating protein [FAP], CD10, and podoplanin) in the intratumoral and marginal areas of 133 sarcomas. We also examined the association between these markers, as well as the number of CD163-positive macrophages (i.e., tumor-associated macrophages), and clinical outcome.

resultsIn all cases, the log-rank test revealed that those with high marker scores and macrophage counts (except for marginal CD10+ CAFs) showed significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS). Grade 2/3 cases with high CAF scores (excluding the marginal FAP and CD10 scores) showed significantly worse DFS, whereas those with high intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal podoplanin scores showed significantly worse metastasis-free survival (MFS), and those with high intratumoral CD10 score showed significantly worse local recurrence-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis identified intratumoral CD10/podoplanin scores and marginal FAP/podoplanin scores as independent prognostic factors for DFS, intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal FAP/podoplanin/CD163-positive macrophage scores as independent prognostic factors for MFS, and the intratumoral podoplanin score as an independent prognostic factor for LFS. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between each score and CD163-positive macrophage counts.

conclusionPatients with high CAF marker expression in the intratumoral and marginal areas have a poorer outcome.

introductionThe tumor microenvironment of sarcomas has not been studied in detail; in particular, little is known about cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Sarcoma cells are difficult to distinguish from CAFs, either histomorphologically or immunohistochemically.

methodsWe scored the expression of individual CAF markers (fibroblast-activating protein [FAP], CD10, and podoplanin) in the intratumoral and marginal areas of 133 sarcomas. We also examined the association between these markers, as well as the number of CD163-positive macrophages (i.e., tumor-associated macrophages), and clinical outcome.

resultsIn all cases, the log-rank test revealed that those with high marker scores and macrophage counts (except for marginal CD10+ CAFs) showed significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS). Grade 2/3 cases with high CAF scores (excluding the marginal FAP and CD10 scores) showed significantly worse DFS, whereas those with high intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal podoplanin scores showed significantly worse metastasis-free survival (MFS), and those with high intratumoral CD10 score showed significantly worse local recurrence-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis identified intratumoral CD10/podoplanin scores and marginal FAP/podoplanin scores as independent prognostic factors for DFS, intratumoral FAP/CD10 and marginal FAP/podoplanin/CD163-positive macrophage scores as independent prognostic factors for MFS, and the intratumoral podoplanin score as an independent prognostic factor for LFS. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between each score and CD163-positive macrophage counts.

conclusionPatients with high CAF marker expression in the intratumoral and marginal areas have a poorer outcome.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCancer-Associated FibroblastsSarcomaSoft Tissue NeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAntigens, CDCD163 AntigenDisease-Free SurvivalEndopeptidasesFemaleFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesHumansAntigens, CDBiomarkers, TumorCD163 AntigenEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesMembrane GlycoproteinsMembrane ProteinsNeprilysinPDPN protein, humanPodoplaninCancer-associated fibroblastsMacrophagesPrognostic factorSoft tissue sarcoma

Identifiers

PMID38964294
PMCPMC11797935

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.