title: Overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor-D as a poor prognosticator in endometrial cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emerging evidence implicates the platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) in many types of human solid tumors. We investigated whether PDGF-D plays an important role in endometrial cancer (EC) in relation to clinicopathologic phenotype, angiogenesis, and patient prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed PDGF-D protein expression by Western blotting in twenty-seven human endometrial cancer tissues, and matched normal endometrial controls collected at the third Affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen University during 2012-2013 (n=27). Immunohistochemical staining was performed using a human PDGF-D antibody on the endometrial cancer patients collected in the same facility during January 2001 and October 2013 (n=152). Patients were followed from the time of primary surgery in 2001-2013 until death or last follow-up. We correlated the PDGF-D expression levels with clinicopathologic parameters and prognosis in human endometrial cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with matched normal endometrial cases, PDGF-D was up-regulated in endometrial cancer. Expression of PDGF-D protein, found in 78% of the cases, was associated with nonendometrioid histologic type (p=0.028), FIGO stage III/IV (p=0.039), >50% solid tumor growth (p=0.048), pelvic LN metastasis (p=0.035) and ER and PR negativity (p=0.04 and 0.002). PDGF-D expression was also significantly associated with expression of VEGF-A (p=0.021). In multivariate analysis, PDGF-D expression proved to be an independent prognostic factor in addition to histologic grade and FIGO stage. Patients with high expression levels of PDGF-D had a significantly poorer overall survival rate compared with patients with no expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDGF-D expression is frequently up-regulated in endometrial cancer, and is associated with aggressive features and poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China E-mail : tigerlee777@163.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xiao-Mao
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sui-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008222:Lymphokines; C427493:PDGFD protein, human; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A