Immunohistochemical markers as prognosticators in gynecologic oncology

Abstract Cyclooxygenase and particularly COX-2 expression impaired survival in patients operated on for endometrial adenocarcinoma of the uterus: 5-year overall and relapse-free survival in absence of expression was 92% and 88%, respectively, while in cases of distinct expression, it fell down to 52% and 48%, respectively (p = 0.0004; 0.0005). Similar correlations were observed for COX-1, although with lower significance (p = 0.02). Particularly unfavorable prognosis is associated with high expression of combination of COX-2 and COX-1. The end-results of radiotherapy were associated with proliferative levels of squamous cell cervical carcinoma: for Ki-67--below median of or = 50%, the indices were 47% and 47 months, respectively, (p = 0.002). There were similar correlations for mutated suppressor-gene 53: 67%--for absence of expression and 53%--for its presence (p = 0/03). Immunohistochemical markers COX-2, Ki-67 and p53 can be used as sole prognosticators and their predictive significance is higher than that of either stage (II or III) or cell differentiation grading.