Clinicopathologic correlations and short-term prognosis in musculoskeletal sarcoma with c-myc oncogene amplification.

The prognostic significance of c-myc oncogene amplification was investigated in a series of 44 patients with musculoskeletal malignancy. There were 21 bone tumors and 23 soft tissue sarcomas. Amplification of the c-myc oncogene was detected in 11 tumors: 4 bone tumors and 7 soft tissue sarcomas. In 9 of the 11 myc-amplified tumors a high grade of malignancy was revealed histologically. The relative frequency of c-myc amplification was higher in grade IV tumors. After a mean follow-up of 18 months, 6 of 11 patients with c-myc-amplified tumors and 12 of 33 patients with nonamplified tumors either exhibited recurrence or died of tumor disease. Both 3-year estimated overall survival and disease-free survival probability were lower for patients with myc-amplified tumors. Amplification of the c-myc oncogene was associated with poor short-term prognosis. Although gene amplification was encountered sporadically in musculoskeletal sarcomas, the reported data suggest that analysis of c-myc may provide valid information on prognosis.