Differences in expression of tumor markers between pre- and postmenopausal women with invasive cervical cancer.
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.
Hellberg
Dan
D
Center for Clinical Research, Falun, Sweden. dan.hellberg@ltdalarna.se
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Tibor
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Stendahl
Ulf
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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
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2