ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) and its prognostic value in endometrial carcinoma (EC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of PGK1 was detected immunohistochemically in 30 normal endometrium and 130 EC specimens. The relationship between PGK1 protein expression and the clinicopathological features of the patients was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemical analysis revealed low PGK1 expression in 55.4% (72/130) and high PGK1 expression in 44.6% (58/130) of the EC specimens, as compared with the rates of 90% (27/30) and 10% (3/30) in normal endometrium, respectively (P<0.001). PGK1 expression was significantly correlated with FIGO stage (P<0.001), histological grade (P=0.002) and lymph node metastasis (P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that patients with a high PGK1 expression had a shorter overall survival rate than those with a low PGK1 expression (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that a high PGK1 expression was not the independent predictor of the prognosis of EC (P=0.077).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A high expression of PGK1 is associated with aggressive and metastatic behaviors of EC, and detection of PGK1 provides assistance in evaluating the prognosis of patients with EC.</p>