Expression of focal adhesion kinase in patients with endometrial cancer: a clinicopathologic study

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2009 Oct;19(7):1221-5. doi: 10.1111/IGC.0b013e3181b33c61.

Abstract

Introduction: The pp125 focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a pivotal role in tumor cell signaling. Focal adhesion kinase expression has been linked to tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, but data on endometrial cancer are inconclusive.

Methods: We assess FAK expression by immunohistochemistry in endometrial cancer for its value to predict patient prognosis.

Results: Of 134 endometrial cancer cases, 120 (89%) revealed moderate and strong expressions of FAK, whereas weak expression was found in 14 (11%) tumors. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a clear trend toward improved survival rates for patients with endometrial carcinomas weakly expressing FAK, and notably, there was neither lymph node metastasis nor tumor-related death in this patient subgroup. Increased expression of FAK correlated with higher histological tumor grade (P = 0.002), lymphatic vascular space invasion (P = 0.003), and vascular space invasion (P = 0.02). Significant prognostic survival variables were tumor stage (P < 0.01), histological type (P < 0.01), tumor grade (P = 0.028), and pelvic lymph node status (P = 0.035). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified histological tumor grade as a significant independent predictor of patient survival (hazards ratio, 2.71; P = 0.03).

Conclusions: Further studies are warranted to elucidate whether FAK expression analysis is a suitable tool in stratifying patients at different risks of disease progress, and wether FAK might become a new molecular target for endometrial anticancer therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Carcinoma / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma / mortality
  • Carcinoma / pathology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / mortality
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Female
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1
  • PTK2 protein, human