Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) constitute less than 1% of all malignancies and represent a heterogeneous group of some 50 histopathological subtypes. STS are highly malignant and metastases will develop in 1/3 of the patients, most of whom will die from their tumor. A better distinction between low-risk and high-risk tumors is needed in order to select patients for adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Our studies of STS involve different strategies aimed at characterization of sarcoma biology with correlations to diagnostic subtype and prognosis.
We aim to investigate:
The translational sarcoma projects is carried out within the Molecular Oncology and Clinical Applications Branch at the Kamprad laboratory, Department of Oncology, Lund University, in close collaboration with the SciBlu Genomics Facility, several clinical departments (e.g. Oncology, Orthopedics, Clinical Genetics and Pathology) at Skåne University Hospital and the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group. The projects are coordinated by Mef Nilbert (MN), who is a senior consultant and professor of Oncology at Lund University. The research group includes an additional senior clinicians ( Henryk Domanski and Pehr Rissler – pathology, Fredrik vult von Steyern and Anders Rydholm – orthopedics, Jacob Engellau – oncology/radiation therapy), one staff scientist ( Mats Jönsson), 2 PhD students ( Ana Carneiro and Emelie Styring) and one guest researcher ( Jojanneke Seinen).
Our projects on STS involve unique patient materials linked to in-depth genetic profiling, tissue microarray-based expression profiling, and prognostic correlation. STS are highly malignant and current diagnostic classification as well as the clinicopathological prognostication are suboptimal as regards reproducibility and prognostic power. Refined, genetically-based diagnostics and new prognostic markers will be particularly relevant for the application of targeted therapies in STS.
Our first studies applying gene expression profiling in STS have demonstrated recurrent up-regulation of several central developmental pathways and have identified promising prognostic profiles related to e.g. hypoxia. Our identification of the prognostic role of an infiltrative tumor growth pattern has been applied in clinical decision making within the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group and the prognostic system for STS has been modified (from SIN) to include growth pattern (SING) (Engellau et al., 2005; Carneiro et al., 2010).
STS treatment within Southern Sweden is centralized to the Lund University Hospital. Moreover, clinical follow-up is complete and all clinicopathologic data are available, which allows prognostic correlations within large and population-based series. For the tissue microarray studies, tumors from several Scandinavian centres have been included through collaborative initiatives within the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group, within which further validation and clinical applications are planned and implemented.
Nilbert, Mef MD, PhD, principal investigator
Engellau,Jacob MD, PhD, senior consultant, oncology
Carneiro, Ana MD, resident in oncology, PhD student
Dominguez, Mev Postdoc (previously Brazil and France)
Seinen, Jojanneke MD, guest researcher, resident in surgery
Jönsson, Mats Res. engineer, PhD
Rambech, Eva Res. engineer, MSc
Rydholm, Anders MD, PhD, prof. Orthopedics
Vult von Steyern, Fredrik MD, PhD, senior consultant, orthopedics
Styring, Emelie MD, resident to be appointed in
Department of Pathology, Skåne University Hospital
Domanski, Henryk, MD, PhD
Rissler, Pehr, MD, PhD
Department of Oncology, Lund University
Borg, Åke, PhD, Prof.
Jönsson, Göran, PhD
Department of Oncology, Lund University
Bendahl, Pär-Ola, PhD
Carneiro A, Nilbert M. Genetic profiling – implications for refined diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. Acta Orthop, 2009, suppl 334.
Carneiro A, Francis P, Bendahl PO, Fernebro J, Akerman M, Fletcher C, Rydholm A, Borg A, Nilbert M. Indistinguishable genomic profiles and shared prognostic markers in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and leiomyosarcoma: different sides of a single coin? Lab Invest 2009;89:668-75.
Seinen J, Almquist M, Styring E, Rydholm A, Nilbert M. Lead times in the management of retroperitoneal sarcoma. Sarcoma, 2010, in press.
Styring E, Fernebro J, Jönsson PE, Ehiner A, Engellau J, Rissler P, Rydholm A, Nilbert M, Vult von Steyern F. Changing clinical presentation of angiosarcomas after breast cancer: from late tumor in edematous arms to earlier tumors on the thoracic wall. Br Ca Res Treat 2010;122:883-7.
Carneiro A, Bendahl PO, Engellau J, Domanski HA, Fletcher CD, Rissler P, Rydholm A, Nilbert M. A prognostic model for soft tissue sarcoma based on size, vascular invasion, necrosis and growth pattern. Cancer, 2010, in press.
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Last modified: 2010-12-03
