Molecular determination of the malignant potential of smooth muscle neoplasms

Abstract

BACKGROUND. The determination of the malignant potential of smooth muscle neoplasms remains ambiguous, and yet has far reaching clinical, therapeutic, and social implications. METHODS. In this pilot study, the authors examined smooth muscle isoactin gene expression by polymerase chain reaction in a variety of smooth muscle tumors. RESULTS. A lack of γ-smooth muscle isoactin gene expression correlated 100% with a pathologic diagnosis of sarcoma. These results suggest that γ-smooth muscle isoactin gene expression represents a unique molecular marker of oncogenic transformation. CONCLUSIONS. γ-Smooth muscle isoactin gene expression provides a valuable molecular adjunct to the diagnosis of smooth muscle neoplasms.