Aberrant expression of vimentin correlates with dedifferentiation and poor prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic value of vimentin expression in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC).

Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of 21 patients who underwent resection for ICC was conducted. Vimentin expression was positive when single tumour cells or cell clusters showed immunoreactivity to vimentin, whereas vimentin-negative expression was defined as no detectable expression.

Results: Of the 21 patients, 5 were classified as having tumours with vimentin-positive expression and 16 with vimentin-negative expression. Vimentin-positive expression was more frequent in tumour specimens that were poorly differentiated (4/7; 57%) than in those that were well- or moderately differentiated (1/14; 7%, p=0.025) and was always seen in areas with the highest histological grade. Vimentin-positive expression affected survival adversely, according to univariate (p=0.010) and multivariate analyses (relative risk, 4.294; p=0.047).

Conclusion: Vimentin-positive expression correlates with dedifferentiation and predicts poor survival in patients undergoing resection for ICC.