Microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: immunohistochemically detected prognostic factors in a case with poor clinical outcome.
BACKGROUND
Established prognostic factors for cervical cancer are tumor stage, vascular space invasion, tumor size/volume, depth of invasion, and lymph node status. Although patients with superficially invasive lesions have a very good prognosis, cases are still reported which have a poor clinical outcome.


METHODS
We report a case of a 41-year-old woman with very early stromal invasion (0.6 mm deep and <1 mm wide) who presented with a pelvic recurrence at 3 years and then developed an anterior abdominal wall and disseminated peritoneal recurrence 4 years after extrafascial hysterectomy. Archival tissue of the cone biopsy was stained immunohistochemically for CD44v6, Her2-neu, p53, bcl-2, MMP-1, and VEGF and showed positive staining for CD44v6 and MMP-1.


CONCLUSIONS
The identification of new prognostic factors may enhance our understanding of the biologic behavior of early invasive cancer of the cervix. Our findings suggest that CD44v6 and MMP-1 may be markers worth further investigation in patients with microinvasive cervical cancer.
Kohlberger
Petra
P
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Vienna University Medical School, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. petra.kohlberger@akh-wien.ac.at
Edwards
Lyndall
L
Hacker
Neville F
NF
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins