A study of heat shock protein 27 in endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a relatively small protein produced in response to pathophysiologic stress. The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively whether HSP27 was associated with known prognostic factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-three consecutive patients with endometrial carcinoma were studied. Slides were prepared from fresh tissue. HSP27 was analyzed using a semiquantitative measurement. Patient records were examined for FIGO stage, grade, depth of myometrial invasion, histology, lymphovascular space invasion, time to recurrence, and survival.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up was 53 months (median 56 months, range 30-68 months). Endometrioid tumors showed significantly higher HSP27 staining than nonendometrioid tumors (P = 0.005). Patients alive at the conclusion of this study had significantly higher mean HSP27 staining than patients who were deceased (P < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed HSP27 staining (P = 0.02), FIGO stage (P = 0. 014), and lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.046) to be independently predictive of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
HSP27 staining is significantly higher in endometrioid than nonendometrioid tumors. HSP27 staining is an independent prognostic indicator in patients with endometrial carcinoma, the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States.
Geisler
J P
JP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46260, USA.
Geisler
H E
HE
Tammela
J
J
Miller
G A
GA
Wiemann
M C
MC
Zhou
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins