title: Differences in expression of tumor markers between pre- and postmenopausal women with invasive cervical cancer.
abstract: THE AIM of the present study was to investigate the differences in the expression of tumor markers in squamous cell and in adenomatous carcinomas in pre- and postmenopausal women, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population comprised 53 premenopausal and 107 postmenopausal women. Thirty-four tumors were adenomatous (n=31) or adenosquamous carcinomas (n=3), distributed between 13 premenopausal and 21 postmenopausal women. The remaining 126 squamous cell carcinomas were diagnosed in 40 pre- and 86 postmenopausal women. Expression of ten tumor markers of possible clinical importance in cervical cancer was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of three tumor markers, p53 (>0% vs. 0%), p27 (> or =20% vs. <20%) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (high intensity vs. moderate/none) differed significantly between pre- compared to postmenopausal women with squamous cell (p27; 54% vs. 72%, p=0.009) or adenomatous carcinomas (p53; 8% vs. 63%, p=0.006 and COX-2; 46% vs. 20%, p=0.03). All results were adjusted for clinical cancer stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The unusual age-specific incidence curve in cervical cancer has rarely been related to expression of tumor markers. Age-related differences in expression of tumor markers could reflect some age-related different biological mechanisms in cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Research, Falun, Sweden. dan.hellberg@ltdalarna.se
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hellberg
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tot
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stendahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2