RESUMEN
The latest World Health Organization classification of soft tissue tumors and bone considered MFH a synonym for pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma. Hepatocyte growth factor [HGF]/scatter factor [SF] is a cytokine, mainly synthesized by cells of mesenchymal origin acting predominantly on epithelial cells. It has been shown that HGF has proliferative, mitogenic, motogenic, morphogenic and angiogenic activities in various epithelial tissues. Because HGF is ubiquitously expressed in mesenchymal tissues and released to th'e extracellular compartment, paracrine and br autocrine signaling would be a possible mechanism of tumorigenesis in mesenchymal tumors that express the HGF receptor. Telomerase, a highly conserved enzyme, is a specialized cellular reverse transcriptase catalyzing the synthesis and extension of telomeric DNA with its own RNA template. Telomerase compensates for telomere loss due to the end replication problem. Activation of telomerase and stabilization of telomeres are consistent with the hypothesis that telomere maintenance is essential for attainment of immortality in cancer cells. The present study aimed at evaluating and correlating the immunohistochemical expression of HGF, hTERT with ki67 proliferative index in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma [UPS] or malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and investigating their interrelation with some clinicopathological parameters such as age, sex, tumor size, site, and metastases. The present study included 20 cases of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma [UPS] [or storiform-pleomorphic MFH]. They were subjected to immunohistochemical stain using; HGF, hTERT, and Ki67. Positive immunohistochemical expression of HGF was detected in 18 out of 20 studied specimens [90%]. Four specimens [20%] showed 1+ positivity, 5 specimens [25%] showed 2+ positivity and, 9 specimens [45%] showed 3+ positivity. Positive immunohistochemical expression of hTERT was detected in 17 out of 20 studied specimens [85%]. Three specimens [15%] showed 1+positivity, 6 specimens [30%] showed 2+ positivity and, 8 specimens [40%] showed 3+ positivity. Positive immunohistochemica] expression of ki67 was detected in 16 out of 20 studied specimens [80%]. The ki67 proliferative score was as follows: seven specimens [35%] showed 1+ positivity, 4 specimens [20%] showed 2+ positivity and, 5 specimens [25%] showed 3+ positivity. The ki67 proliferative index ranged from 5% up to 90% [mean=40.75%]. The relation between HGF positivity and ki67 proliferative score was statistically significant. [P=0.012]. No statistical significant relation was detected between HGF positivity and hTERT positivity [P=0.225]. Another statistical significant relation was detected between high positivity of hTERT and moderate or high proliferative score of ki67. [2+ or 3+positivity] [P=0.012]. Our findings indicate that the HGF plays an important role in promoting cell proliferation of human MFH tissues. lmmunohistochemical expression of hTERT is considered as a Sensitive marker of malignancy, but its value as a prognostic marker needs further evaluation. Also increased expression of HGF and hTERT were significantly associated with increased ki67 proliferative score