title: Lactoferrin immunoexpression in endometrial carcinomas: relationships with sex steroid hormone receptors (ER and PR), proliferation indices (Ki-67 and AgNOR) and survival.
abstract: We have investigated Lf immunoexpression as well as its biological meaning in 71 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded surgical samples of endometrial carcinomas (EC); 64 EC were endometrioid type, whereas 7 were non-endometrioid carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry was performed by primary antibodies against Lactoferrin (Lf), estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and Ki-67 antigen. Quantification of Lf immunoreactivity was performed using an intensity-distribution (ID) score. Moreover, the AgNOR technique according to guidelines of the Committee on AgNOR Quantification was used to assess the proliferation rate (NORA). A variable expression of Lf was revealed in 43 cases (61%) of EC. Endometrioid type carcinoma showed a significant higher Lf ID-score than non-endometrioid type; in contrast, no relationships were demonstrated between Lf immunoexpression and histologic grade, stage, clinical course as well as proliferative activity of EC. Moreover, a significantly higher Lf ID-score was encountered in ER-positive carcinomas. Survival analysis in EC indicated the architectural, nuclear and combined histologic grades as well as the stage, PR, Ki-67 and NORA as significant parameters. The utilization of Lf as a prognostic marker, able to identify patients at different risk of death, or alternatively, its clinical application as therapeutic agent, must be considered with great caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, A.O.U. Policlinico G. Martino, I-98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giuffrè
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scarfì
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simone
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Todaro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuccari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins; D007781:Lactoferrin