Expression of CD44V6 and CD44V7-8 in cervical cancer

AIM: To study expression of CD44V6 and CD44V7 8 in cervical cancer and its clinical significance. METHODS: Specimens form 10 cases of normal cervical tissue,16 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), 10 cases of intraepithelial carcinoma in situs of cervix uteri, and 30 cases of invasive carcinoma of cervix uteri were detected for the expression of CD44V6 and CD44V7 8 using immunohistochemical S P method. RESULTS: Both CD44V6 and CD44V7 8 were negative in normal cervical epithelium. The expression of CD44V6 and CD44V7 8 revealed a rising trend in CIN→intraepithelial carcinoma in situs of cervix uteri→invasive carcinoma of cervix uteri, and displayed positive correlation ( r=0.963, P 0.05). and displayed positive correlation ( r=0.963, P 0.05). but CD44V7 8 went up earlier than CD44V6. Positivity of CD44V6 had positive correlation with clinical stage and histological grade of the carcinoma ( r=1.00, P 0.05). The positive rate of CD44V6 in patients with lymph nodes metastasis was higher than that in patients without lymph nodes metastasis. CONCLUSION: CD44V7 8 expression changes in the early stage during the genesis of cervical cancer, which may be a molecular biological marker in the early diagnosis of cervical cancer. The positive expression of CD44V6 has close relationship with lymphnode metastasis, and is likely to be indicative of the patients prognosis. Detection of both CD44V6 and CD44V7 8 can be helpful in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis evaluation of cervical cancer.