title: High Expression of KIF20A Is Associated with Poor Overall Survival and Tumor Progression in Early-Stage Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The kinesin family member 20a (KIF20A) protein has been implicated in the development and progression of many human cancers; however, its precise function and role in cervical cancer remain largely unclear. This study aimed to investigate the expression profile and prognostic value of KIF20A in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the mRNA and protein levels of KIF20A in eight cervical cancer cell lines and eight paired cervical cancer samples, compared with normal cervical epithelial cells and adjacent normal cervical tissues, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of KIF20A in paraffin-embedded specimens from 169 early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients. Statistical analyses were applied to analyze the association between KIF20A expression and clinical variables, as well with patient survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA and protein expression levels of KIF20A were significantly elevated in cervical cancer cell lines and lesions compared with normal cells and corresponding normal tissues (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry analysis in 169 cervical cancer cases revealed that increased KIF20A expression was strongly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (P = 0.008), clinical stage (P = 0.001), tumor recurrence (P = 0.016), vital status (P < 0.001), the property of the surgical margin (P = 0.032), the lymphovascular space involvement (P = 0.014), and pelvic lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001). The overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with high levels of KIF20A expression were significantly poorer than those with low KIF20A expression. KIF20A was an independent survival prognostic factor, as evidenced by univariate and multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results illustrate that elevated KIF20A expression correlates with HPV infection, clinical stage, tumor recurrence, lymphovascular space involvement, pelvic lymph node metastasis, and poor outcome in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients. KIF20A aberrant expression is a novel independent unfavorable prognostic factor and may present a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weijing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, GuangZhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weiling
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Examination, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Eight-year program, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Nianzhen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chuanmiao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016547:Kinesins / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: C410089:KIF20A protein, human; D016547:Kinesins