EXPRESSION OF BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR AND ITS MESSENGER-RNA INUTERINE ENDOMETRIAL CANCERS

To evaluate the potential of growth, invasion and metastasis of endome trial cancer cells associated with neovascularization, the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and its mRNA in endometrial ca ncers and normal endometria as controls was determined by enzyme-linke d immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot. The relationship between FGF expression and histol ogical grades, and the degree of myometrial invasion or clinical stage s of endometrial cancers were analyzed. The level of basic FGF was fou nd significantly higher in endometrial cancers of G3 and stage III-IV compared to normal endometria. Likewise, the level of basic FGF mRNA w as significantly higher in endometrial cancers of G3, level C and stag e II-IV compared to normal endometria. In cancers of other categories, G1 and G2, levels of A and B, and stage I, evaluation in the levels o f basic FGF and its mRNA did not differ significantly from those in no rmal endometria. Since lethal lesions are mostly confined to endometri al cancers of G3, level C, and stages III-IV, the increase of basic FG F, which leads to neovascularization, could be one of the characterist ics of highly malignant and/or advanced endometrial cancers, and may c ontribute to the acceleration of growth, invasion, and metastasis.