NM23 EXPRESSION IN ENDOMETRIAL AND CERVICAL-CANCER - INVERSE CORRELATION WITH LYMPH-NODE INVOLVEMENT AND MYOMETRIAL INVASION

The expression of nm23 has been shown to correlate in some solid tumou rs with their metastatic potential and to be associated with a favoura ble prognosis in human breast cancer and melanoma. In breast and ovari an cancer nm23 expression is also correlated with lymph node involveme nt. We analysed the expression of nm23-H1 and -H2 in normal endometriu m and in endometrial and cervical cancer by both Northern and Western blotting. Cellular localisation of Nm23-H1 was visualised by immunohis tochemistry mostly in the cytoplasm. Both isoforms of Nm23 were presen t in all the samples analysed, and a clear direct correlation between Nm23-H1 and -H2 levels was evident. Median nm23-H2 levels were higher than than -H1 levels in both tissues. Cervical cancer patients with ly mph node involvement were shown to have significantly lower protein le vels of Nm23 (P<0.007 for H1 and P<0.009 for H2), and a similar trend was also evident in endometrial cancer. Furthermore, the degree of myo metrial invasion in endometrial cancer patients was also inversely cor related with Nm23-H1 levels of expression (P<0.003). Nm23 level may th erefore be taken into consideration as a new marker in the prognostic characterisation and in the treatment planning of uterine tumour patie nts.