The relationship between expression of Ku70 and survival in irradiated patients with endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognostic value of Ku70 protein expression in patients with endometrial cancer and to examine the correlation between Ku70 expression and established prognostic factors.


METHODS
Ku70 immunoreactivity was determined by an immunohistochemical technique in a series of 81 patients with stages I-III primary endometrial carcinoma. The prognostic value of Ku70 expression was also studied in 74 patients who had been followed for at least 1 year or until death.


RESULTS
The median percentage of Ku70 expression was 80%. The established clinicopathological prognostic factors for endometrial carcinoma were not associated with Ku70 expression. Although disease-free survival was significantly higher in patients with lower levels than median value of Ku70 (P < 0.05), overall survival was not different. In the univariate analysis, Ku70 expression did not show significant prognostic value for overall survival. The multivariate analysis also showed that Ku70 expression was not related to patient's outcome (P = 0.51, relative risk = 0.27, 95% confidence interval = 0.10-1.92).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that Ku70 expression may not be a prognostic marker in endometrial carcinoma patients. However, disease-free survival was significantly higher in patients with low percentage of Ku70-positive tumor cells. More studies are needed to evaluate the correlation between Ku70 and survival in patients with endometrial cancer.
Saygili
Uğur
U
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, 35330 Inciralti/Izmir, Turkey. saygiliu@hotmail.com
Gorkay
Ilknur Bilkay
IB
Koyuncuoglu
Meral
M
Gol
Mert
M
Uslu
Turhan
T
Erten
Oktay
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen