A study of heat shock protein 27 in endometrial carcinoma

Objective. Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a relatively small protein prod uced in response to pathophysiologic stress. The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively whether HSP27 was associated with known prognost ic factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Methods. One hundred fifty-three consecutive patients with endometrial carc inoma were studied. Slides were prepared from fresh tissue. HSP27 was analy zed using a semiquantitative measurement. Patient records were examined for FIGO stage, grade, depth of myometrial invasion, histology, lymphovascular space invasion, time to recurrence, and survival. Results. The mean follow-up was 53 months (median 56 months, range 30-68 mo nths). Endometrioid tumors showed significantly higher HSP27 staining than nonendometrioid tumors (P = 0.005). Patients alive at the conclusion of thi s study had significantly higher mean HSP27 staining than patients who were deceased (P < 0.001), Logistic regression revealed HSP27 staining (P = 0.0 2), FIGO stage (P = 0.014), and lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.046) t o be independently predictive of survival. Conclusion. HSP27 staining is significantly higher in endometrioid than non endometrioid tumors. HSP27 staining is an independent prognostic indicator in patients with endometrial carcinoma, the most common gynecologic maligna ncy in the United States. (C) 1999 Academic Press.