The associations of biological parameters with the effects of radiotherapy and cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy in uterine cervical cancer

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of the expressions of some important biomarkers that we have previously investigated with the clinic pathological characteristics and prognoses of patients with uterine cervical cancer in Taiwan. Methods: One hundred and three patients with cervical cancer were recruited consecutively between March 1999 and March 2006. Among them, 33 received radiotherapy or cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and 70 did not. We constructed cervical tissue microarrays and analyzed the associations of the immunoreactivities of human nonmetastatic clone 23 type 1 (nm23-H1), lipocalin 2, aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3), ribonucleotide reductase M2, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and carbonate anhydrase 9 with clinicopathologcial variables and prognoses of cervical cancer patients. Results: Univariate analysis revealed that positive nm23-H1 and negative lipocalin 2 predict poorer survival in patients receiving radiotherapy or CCRT. However, these biomarkers were not associated with recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed that only positive lipocalin 2 is predictive of better survival in these patients (P=0.005). Deep stromal invasion was the only predictive parameter in patients not receiving radiotherapy or CCRT (P=0.036). Conclusion: Lipocalin 2 is applicable as a clinical target for cervical cancer patients receiving radiotherapy or CCRT in Taiwan.