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>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the expression of MAP2K4 and vimentin in human endometrial carcinoma (EC) and their association with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MAP2K4 and vimentin expressions were detected immunohistochemically in paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 128 patients with EC, and the correlation of MAP2K4 and vimentin expressions with the clinicopathological factors of the patients was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MAP2K4 and vimentin proteins were positively expressed in 49 (38.3%) and 83 (64.8%) of the patients, respectively. A positive expression of MAP2K4 was negatively correlated with FIGO stage of the tumor (P=0.010) and lymph node status (P=0.016); a positive expression of vimentin was positively correlated with FIGO stage of the tumor (P=0.025), histological grades (P=0.017), depth of myometrial invasion (P=0.044) and lymph node status (P=0.032). MAP2K4 was inversely associated with vimentin expression in EC(r=-0.598, P<0.001). Patients positive for MAP2K4 tended to have a higher overall survival rate (P=0.002), and those positive for vimentin tended to have a lower overall survival rate (P=0.007); patients positive for MAP2K4 but negative for vimentin had the longest survival time, while those negative for MAP2K4 and positive for vimentin had lowest survival rate (P=0.004).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Detection of MAP2K4 and vimentin might help in early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of patients with EC.</p>