HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

High expression of PKM2 as a poor prognosis indicator is associated with radiation resistance in cervical cancer

Yajie Zhao1, Liangfang Shen1, Xi Chen2, Yujie Qian1, Qin Zhou1, Ying Wang1, Kai Li1, Miaomiao Liu1, Sai Zhang3 and Xinqiong Huang1

1Department of Oncology Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Province, 2Guangzhou Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong Province and 3Institute of medical science Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Province, P.R. China

Offprint requests to: Dr. Xinqiong Huang Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87, Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan Province 410008, People’s Republic of China. e-mail: wzyj7177@126.com


Summary. Our study aimed to investigate the association of Pyruvate Kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2) with radiation resistance in locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma (LACSCC). We retros-pectively reviewed 132 female patients who received primary radiation therapy to treat LACSCC at Federation Internationale of Gynecologie and Obstetrigue (FIGO) stages IB-IVA. Forty-seven patients with progression free survival (PFS) of less than 36 months were regarded to have radiation resistance. Eighty-five patients with PFS no less than 36 months were regarded as radiation sensitive. Using immuno-histochemistry, we found that the overexpression rate of PKM2 in radiation resistant and radiation sensitive patients was 87.2% and 57.6%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). The 5-year progress free survival rates in patients with low and high expression of PKM2 was 80.4% and 60.5%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.008). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified that high expression of PKM2 is an independent negative prognostic factor in cervical cancer patients [Hazard ratio (95% CI), 2.888 (1.347, 6.194) p=0.006]. These results demonstrate that overexpression of PKM2 contributes to radiation resistance and acts a poor prognosis indicator in patients with LACSCC. Histol Histopathol
30, 1313-1320 (2015)

Key words: Locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma, Radiation resistance, Glycolysis, PKM2, Imunohistochemistry

DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-627