The Association Between Expression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1, Fibroblast Activated Protein, Pattern of Tumor-Associated Collagen Signature and Degree of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes to Grading International Society Of Urological Pathology in Clea

Abstract

Background
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a very aggressive cancer and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The stromal component around the tumor is thought to have contributed greatly to these findings.
Methods
Analytical study with cross sectional design on 23 histological specimens diagnosed by ccRCC based on data from medical records/pathology archives in 2012-2021. Each specimen was stained with hematoxylin and eosin, TGF-β and FAP immunohistochemistry and Masson's trichrome. Fisher's exact test (p<0.05) was used to assess the association between the expressions of all variables with the ISUP grading.
Results
Most cases were high grade ccRCC (87%) samples, of which 73.9% samples expressed strong TGF-β, 82.7% samples expressed positive intratumoral FAP, 78.3% samples expressed positive stromal FAP, 47.8% showed a TACS-3-pattern, 56.5% of samples with positive stromal TILs and 47.8% of samples with negative intratumoral TILs. There was no significant association between all of these variables and the ISUP grading of the ccRCC (p<0.05).
Conclusion
Expression of TGF-β1, intratumoral and stromal FAP, TACS pattern and the degree of intratumoral and stromal TILs were not significantly associated with ISUP grading in ccRCC.