TGF α expression in meningioma — tumor progression and therapeutic response

Summary

Little is known of the molecular genetic mechanisms contributing to meningioma tumor progression. We evaluated a total of 26 clinical cases of meningioma: twenty three patients with meningioma treated at our institution between 1978 and 1990 and three asymptomatic cases found initially at autopsy. In addition, histologically normal meninges obtained at post-mortem examination from 5 cases were evaluated. There were 13 men and 10 women in the patient group with a median age of 48.7 years, treated by surgery and/or irradiation. Median follow-up was 46 months (range 16–152 months). Archival cases and age-matched normal meningeal tissue obtained at autopsy during the same time period were obtained for study. Patients with TGF α scores greater than 3.0 were more likely to fail treatment and had lower overall survival times than those with immunostaining scores of 1 or 2. Three autopsy cases where meningioma had been silent clinically had overall staining scores of 0.75, while 10 samples of normal meninges harvested from 5 cases at autopsy had staining scores of 0. Two patients each underwent 3 surgeries for recurrent tumor, serial specimens showed increased TGF α expression over time, though all material from these procedures was consistent with the diagnosis of histologically benign meningioma.