This study examined the expression of heparanase in osteosarcomas and evaluated its prognostic value.

The immunohistochemical expression of heparanase from 51 osteosarcoma tissues was examined, and the correlations between the heparanase expression level and the clinicopathological factors were evaluated.

Heparanase over-expression was observed in 37 tissue samples. There was a correlation between the heparanase expression level and a poor chemotherapeutic response, metastasis and poor survival rate. Multivariate analyses revealed that heparanase over-expression was a significant independent risk factor for a distant metastasis of an osteosarcoma. Among the 46 patients who underwent an adequate wide resection, there was a correlation between the heparanase expression level and recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 83.8% for patients with heparanase negative tumors, and 46.9% for those with heparanase over-expression. Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model revealed the heparanase expression level to be an independent prognostic indicator.

These results indicate that heparanase expression might play an important role in local recurrence and metastasis, and might be a biological marker of the prognostic significance in osteosarcoma patients.