Loss of ASRGL1 expression is an independent biomarker for disease-specific survival in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma

The ASRGL1 protein is a novel, powerful, and independent biomarker for prognosis in endometrial carcinoma.

In a recent study by scientists from the Human Protein Atlas project and collaborators at the University of Bergen and University of Turku, the l-asparaginase (ASRGL1) protein was identified as an endometrial carcinoma biomarker candidate by searches in the HPA-database.

ASRGL1 expression was immunohistochemically evaluated on two large independent endometrial carcinoma cohorts using an extensively validated antibody. Staining results were correlated with clinical features and reduced expression of ASRGL1 (defined as <75% positively stained tumor cells) was significantly associated with poor prognosis and reduced disease-specific survival in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA).

In multivariate analysis the prognostic effect of ASRGL1 was shown to be independent of classic prognostication factors such as tumor histology, -stage, and -grade.

The study concluded that loss of ASRGL1 in EEA is a powerful biomarker for poor prognosis and that retained ASRGL1 has a positive impact on survival. ASRGL1 immunohistochemistry has potential to become an additional tool for prognostication in cases where tailoring adjuvant treatment according to additional prognostic factors besides grade and stage is recommended.

Read the full analysis here.

Browse the Cancer Atlas to explore the expression of ASRGL1 in different cancer tissues.

Also read our blog post on A prognosis based classification of uterin cancer.