Background: The proteoglycan syndecan-1 is involved in cell proliferation, adhesion
and angiogenesis. It was shown to be involved in cancer progression in different tumor
entities. So far, the role of syndecan-1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), one of the
most common diseases in urologic oncology, was little described. Purpose of the present
study was to obtain serum concentrations and tissue expression levels of syndecan-1
in a cohort of patients diagnosed with RCC. Methods: Clinical and follow-up data were
obtained from 413 RCC patients. SDC1 levels were determined in serum samples of 100
patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and tissue SDC1 expression was measured
by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 343 cases. Results were correlated with clinicopathological
and follow-up data. Results: Five and ten years overall and cancer specific survival
were 67% and 56% [overall survival (OS)] and 79% and 76% [cancer-specific survival
(CSS)]. In female patients and locally advanced disease (>= T3), tissue SDC1 expression
was decreased (female 85.6% vs. male 71.1% low tissue SDC1 expression, P=0.0153 and
<= T2 70.0% vs. >= T3 87.2% low tissue SDC1 expression, P=0.0055) compared to male
patients and organ confined disease. Locally advanced tumor stage, presence of lymph
node or distant metastases, high Fuhrman grading and clear cell carcinoma as histopathological
subtype were independent prognostic factors for reduced CSS and OS. There was no impact
of serum SDC1 (sSDC1) serum concentration or SDC1 tissue protein expression on OS,
CSS or recurrence free survival (RFS) in uni- or multivariable analysis. Conclusions:
sSDC1 concentration or SDC1 tissue protein expression levels had no influence on patients'
prognosis in the present cohort of patients diagnosed with RCC.
