NM23 EXPRESSION IN CARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

To evaluate the significance of nm23 protein expression in cervical ca rcinoma, 83 patients with stage IB disease, treated primarily with sur gery were studied immunohistochemically. Of the cases 57 were squamous carcinoma, 9 were adenocarcinoma, 14 were adenosquamous carcinoma and 3 were small-cell carcinoma. nm23 expression was positive in 63% of t he cases. Although positive expression was more common in squamous and adenosquamous type tumors, negative expression was dominant in adenoc arcinoma (P<0.05). When nm23 expression was compared with the clinicop athologic risk factors, there was no correlation of expression with th e grade, deep invasion of the stroma, parametrial involvement and lymp h node metastasis. But expression was inversely correlated with the nu mber of metastatic lymph nodes (P<0.05). Although 3 or more lymph node metastases is a very poor prognostic sign, nm23 expression was not co rrelated either with recurrence or survival. Expression was negative i n 77% of metastatic lymph nodes and in all of the recurrences. The pre dominance of negative expression in metastatic lymph nodes (P<0.05) an d recurrences seems to be related to the aggressive behavior of the ne gative clone in the heterogenous primary tumor.