The differential expression of AFF3 in cervical cancer and its correlation with clinicopathological features and...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Cervical cancer (CC) is a significant global health issue, ranking as the second most common malignancy in women.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers for CC is critical for accurate prognosis prediction and patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression levels of AF4/FMR2 Family Member 3 (AFF3) in cervical cancer tissues.
• To determine the association between AFF3 expression and clinicopathological features, as well as its impact on patient prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to assess AFF3 expression in 78 CC patients' tumor and adjacent tissues.
• Statistical analyses included chi-square tests for correlations, Kaplan-Meier method for 5-year overall survival (OS), and COX regression for prognostic factor identification.

Main Results:

• AFF3 expression was significantly downregulated in CC tissues compared to adjacent tissues.
• Low AFF3 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and advanced International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage.
• Patients with low AFF3 expression exhibited a significantly lower 5-year OS rate (52.78%).

Conclusions:

• Downregulated AFF3 expression and high histological grade (G3) are identified as independent predictors of poor prognosis in cervical cancer.
• AFF3 holds potential as a valuable biomarker for prognostic assessment in cervical cancer patients.