[Study on cytokeratin and CA125 for diagnosing lymph node micrometastases in endometrial cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the roles of cytokeratin (CK) and CA(125) in diagnosing lymph node micrometastasis in endometrial cancer. METHODS: The expressions of CK and CA(125) in 50 primary tumors and 298 lymph nodes from 50 patients with endometrial cancers were analysed by immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: (1) The positive expression rates of CK and CA(125) in primary tumors of cases with endometrial cancer were respectively 100%, and 78%. (2) The expressions of CK and CA(125) in metastatic lymph nodes were both strong with 100% positive rate. In lymph nodes without metastasis, the expressions of CK and CA(125) were both weak, with positive rates of 15% and 12% respectively. (3) Among patients with stage I, II diseases, tumor recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with positive CK or CA(125) expression in lymph nodes than in patients without CK or CA(125) expression (P < 0.05). (4) Multiple regression analysis revealed that in stages I, II endometrial cancer, CK expression in lymph nodes, and CA(125) expression in lymph nodes together with depth of myometrial invasion were relevant factors with tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: CK expression in lymph nodes without metastasis can predict lymph node micrometastasis and is an independent risk factor for recurrence of disease in stages I, II endometrial cancers. CA(125) expression in lymph nodes without metastasis can also suggest lymph node micrometastasis, but it is not an independent predictive factor for tumor recurrence in stages I, II endometrial cancers.