Immunohistochemical expression and clinicopathological assessment of the cancer testis antigens NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4 in high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma

The aim of the present study was to explore the expression of the cancer testis antigens New York-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (NY-ESO)-1 and melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE)-A4 in high-grade soft-tissue sarcoma and to evaluate their association with the standard clinical-pathological features of surgically treated high-grade sarcoma patients. The study included 82 patients, and NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4 antigen expression was analyzed immunohistochemically. The results revealed NY-ESO-1- and MAGE-A4-positive staining in 58.8 and 52.9% of synovial sarcomas, and 55.6 and 0% of myxoid liposarcomas, respectively. In patients with synovial sarcoma, NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4 were expressed in 7 patients, only NY-ESO-1 was expressed in 3 patients, and only MAGE-A4 was expressed in 2 patients. Univariate analysis indicated that a significantly higher MAGE-A4 expression was observed in younger patients (P<0.001) and those with synovial sarcoma (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that significantly higher NY-ESO-1 expression was observed in patients with synovial sarcoma (P<0.01) and myxoid liposarcoma (P<0.01), and significantly higher MAGE-A4 expression was observed in patients with synovial sarcoma (P<0.01). In high-grade sarcomas, the 2- and 5-year overall survival rates based on Kaplan-Meier estimates were 100 and 81.3% in the NY-ESO-1-positive group, and 69.7 and 53.0% in the NY-ESO-1-negative group, respectively (P=0.049). It was also demonstrated that either NY-ESO-1 or MAGE-A4 was positive in 70.6% of synovial sarcomas. These results indicate that NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4 may be useful for the diagnosis of synovial sarcoma. The independent expression of NY-ESO-1 and MAGE-A4, which may help expand the pool of candidates for molecular-targeted immunotherapy, will be beneficial for synovial sarcoma patients.