Integrin α7 is overexpressed and correlates with higher pathological grade, increased T stage, advanced TNM stage as well as worse survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association of integrin alpha7 with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. METHODS: 179 ccRCC patients who underwent nephrectomy were included in this retrospective study. Tumor tissue and paired adjacent tissue specimens of patients were obtained. Immunohistochemistry assay was performed to detect integrin alpha7 expression. OS was calculated with the median follow-up duration of 91.0 months (range: 3.0-116.0 months). RESULTS: Integrin alpha7 was highly expressed in tumor tissue compared to paired adjacent tissue (P < .001), and tumor integrin alpha7 high expression was correlated with higher pathological grade (P = .004), increased T stage (P = .017), and advanced TNM stage (P = .033). Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with integrin alpha7 high expression (mean OS = 69.8, 95%CI: 60.5-79.1 months) presented with worse OS compared to patients with integrin alpha7 low expression (mean OS = 101.8, 95%CI: 96.0-107.7 months; P < .001). Multivariate Cox's regression analysis further disclosed that tumor integrin alpha7 high expression independently predicted poor OS (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Integrin alpha7 is upregulated and correlates with higher pathological grade, increased T stage, and advanced TNM stage, meanwhile it also acts as a valuable prognostic factor for worse survival in ccRCC patients.