Changes of tumor tissue expressions of oncogenes C-erbB-2 and Ki-67 and serum levels of CA125 in patients with endometrial cancer with different clinico-pathological characteristics

Objective: To study the changes of expressions of C-erbB-2 and Ki-67 oncogenes in tumor tissue and serum levels of CA125 in patients with endometrial cancer of different stages. Methods: Tissue expressions of C-erbB-2 and Ki-67 were examined with immuno-histochemistry in 48 surgical speciments of endometrial cancer and 30 specimens of non-cancerous hysterectomy. Serum CA125 levels were also determined with IRMA in these patients. Results: Both the tissue expressions of C-erbB-2 and Ki-67 as wellas serum CA125 levels were negative in all the 30 patients with hysterectomy for benign disorders. Positive rate of tissue C-erbB-2, Ki-67 and serum CA125 level was 64.58% (31/48), 77.08 (37/48)and 29.16% (14/48) respectively in the patients with endometrial cancer. Expressions of C-erbB-2 and Ki-67 were significantly higher in patients with more advanced diseases (lower grade differentiation,deeper penetration, positive lymph node metastasis) than those in patients with less advanced diseases (P<0.05∼0.01). The same was true for the serum CA125 level. These three markers were mutually positively correlated. Conclusion: Combined determination of tumor tissue C-erbB-2 and Ki67 expressions as well as serum CA125 in patients with endometrial cancer could reflect the seriousness of the disease and might be useful for outcome prediction. (authors)