[Prognostic value of cell proliferation and apoptosis in uterine cervical cancer treated with radiation].
OBJECTIVE
To study the prognostic value of cell proliferation and apoptosis in cervical cancer patients treated with radiation.


METHODS
A retrospective study was done in 40 radiotherapy-uncontrolled cases of squamous-cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri and an equal number of cases, matched in age, clinical stage, tumor size and histologic grade, which had been cured by radiotherapy. Cell proliferation was judged by the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positively stained cell number x intensity of staining, and number of cells in mitosis per 10 high-power microscopic fields (HPF). Apoptotic cells were identified by TUNEL method and the result was expressed as the number of cells undergone apoptosis per 10 HPF.


RESULTS
The average level of PCNA expression was 5.38 +/- 3.21 in the cured patients and 7.50 +/- 3.16 in the radiotherapy-uncontrolled patients (P < 0.01). The number of mitotic cells/10 HPF was 6.33 +/- 5.15 in the cured patients and 11.33 +/- 7.50 in the uncontrolled patients (P < 0.001). The number of apoptotic cells/10 HPF was 20.90 +/- 8.19 in the cured patients and 27.13 +/- 17.28 in the uncontrolled patients (P < 0.05). The ratio of number of apoptotic cells to that of mitotic cells (A/M) was 4.97 +/- 3.31 in the cured and 3.36 +/- 2.83 in the uncontrolled (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In cervical cancer, PCNA expression, the number of cells in mitosis and that of cells in apoptosis are significantly increased while the A/M ratio is significantly decreased in radiotherapy-uncontrolled patients compared to those of patients cured by radiotherapy. These parameters may be of value of predict response to radiotherapy and prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.
Zhang
M
M
Department of Gynecology, Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032.
Cai
S
S
Shi
D
D
D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen