Expression of cathepsin D and epidermal growth factor receptor in stage III cervical carcinomas.

Cathepsin D and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antigens are related to tumor invasion, metastasis, progression, and recurrence. To assess the prognostic significance of the expression of these two antigens, biopsy specimens consecutively obtained from 216 patients with stage III cervical carcinomas (191 with squamous cell carcinomas and 25 with adenocarcinomas), who were treated with radiotherapy, were investigated immunohistochemically. The positive rate of cathepsin D expression in squamous cell carcinomas was 74%, significantly higher than the 47% observed in adenocarcinomas(P = 0.015). The EGFR positive rate in squamous cell carcinomas was 33%, somewhat higher than the 16% in adenocarcinomas (P = 0.088). The chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier method showed no significant relationship between the expression of either cathepsin D or EGFR and the prognosis in these patients. These results indicate that in stage III cervical carcinomas cathepsin D and EGFR expression do not correlate with prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]