Die prognostische Bedeutung der immunhistochemisch ermittelten Kathepsin D-Synthese beim Endometriumkarzinom

The production of Kathepsin D was detected immunohistochemically in a retrospective analysis of 225 endometrial carcinomas and correlated to survival of patients. Median follow-up period was 5.4 years. Overproduction of Kathepsin D could be found in 105 (53%) of 225 tumors. Univariate regression analysis revealed no significant influence of Kathepsin D production on adjusted survival (log rank p = 0,14) and on disease-free survival (p = 0.34) of patients. There was no correlation of Kathepsin D with age of patients (p=0.07), myometrial invasion (p=0.71), histologic grading (p=0.96) and with immunohistochemically detected parameters estradiol receptor (p=0.34), progesterone receptor (p=0.31) and growth fraction (p=0.23), as detected by the monoclonal antibody Ki-S1.In multivariate analysis Kathepsin D overproduction could not be established as independent prognosticator of adjusted survival (p=0.37) and disease-free survival (p=0.63) as compared to independent predictors FIGO-stage, histologic grading and growth fraction of endometrial carcinoma. In conclusion, Kathepsin D production, according to the results of the long-term follow-up-study, cannot be confirmed as prognosticator in endometrial cancer.