Cathepsin B protein levels in endometrial cancer: Potential value as a tumour biomarker.
OBJECTIVE
Lysosomal cysteine protease Cathepsin-B has been implicated in the progression of various human tumours. We examined Cathepsin-B protein levels in endometrial carcinoma patients-mainly post-menopausal-and investigated their possible association with clinical and pathological parameters in order to assess Cathepsin-B's significance as a potential tumour biomarker.


METHODS
The indirect immunoperoxidase method was used for Cathepsin-B immunohistochemical staining of 64 paraffin-embedded endometrial tumour tissues, having follow-up period of 18-240 months. Steroid hormone receptors were measured as well. Tissue samples were staged following the FIGO criteria.


RESULTS
Positive Cathepsin-B immunostaining was observed in 27 patients (42.2%) and was significantly associated with the FIGO stage of the disease (p=0.006), as well as cervical and stromal invasion (p=0.001 and p=0.037, respectively) and progesterone receptor status (p=0.027). Positive Cathepsin-B expression was also inversely related to Disease-free Survival (p=0.034) and Overall Survival (p=0.035) in univariate analysis, as well as in multivariate analysis (p=0.022 and p=0.035, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased Cathepsin-B expression was found to be predictive of more aggressive tumour behaviour over time and can be regarded as an unfavourable and independent tumour marker for endometrial cancer patients with a long follow-up.
Devetzi
Marina
M
Department of Cellular Physiology, G. Papanicolaou Research Center of Oncology, Saint Savas Hospital, 171, Alexandras Avenue, Athens 11522, Greece.
Scorilas
Andreas
A
Tsiambas
Evangelos
E
Sameni
Mansoureh
M
Fotiou
Stelios
S
Sloane
Bonnie F
BF
Talieri
Maroulio
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D002401:Cathepsin B