PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF CD44 SPLICE VARIANTS IN HUMAN STAGE-III CERVICAL-CANCER

The expression of specific cell adhesion molecule CD44 isoforms (splic e variants) has been shown to be associated with poor prognosis in hum an malignancies, such as breast cancer. We used three different varian t exon sequence-specific murine monoclonal antibodies to epitopes enco ded by exons v5, v6 or v7-v8 of human variant CD44, to study the expre ssion of CD44 splice variants by immunohistochemistry in human stage I II cervical cancer. We investigated 40 pretreatment punch biopsies of cervical cancer FIGO stage III. CD44 splice variants CD44v5, CD44v6 an d CD44v7-8 were detected by means of immunohistochemistry in 90%, 55% and 25%, respectively. CD44 epitopes encoded by exon v5 were not corre lated with prognosis. Expression of CD44 splice variants containing ep itopes encoded by exon v6 were correlated with significantly poorer pr ognosis (Mantel test, P = 0.008). Five-year survival rates with or wit hout CD44v6 expression were 20% versus 71%, respectively. Expression o f CD44v7-8 was also correlated with significantly poorer overall survi val (Mantel test, P = 0.02). Expression of CD44 splice variants contai ning epitopes encoded by exons v7-v8 and especially exon v6 is associa ted with significantly poorer prognosis in stage III cervical cancer p atients.