Significance of cathepsin-D expression in uterine tumours

Cathepsin-D (Cath-D) expression was evaluated by an immunoradiometric assay in 67 primary endometrial carcinomas and 70 cervical cancers. In the endometrial tumours, an inverse correlation was observed between Cath-D levels and stage (P = 0.027) and myometrial invasion (P = 0.046). A significant correlation between Cath-D levels and hormone receptor status was demonstrated (P < 0.05). In cervical cancer, no differences in the distribution of Cath-D levels according to clinicopathological parameters and hormone receptors were observed. However, patients not responding to neoadjuvant chemotherapy had significantly lower Cath-D values than those showing complete or partial response (P = 0.011). As far as prognostic significance is concerned, it appears that Cath-D expression might have a different role in the two uterine neoplasias. While our preliminary data in endometrial cancer suggest that high Cath-D levels may be a favourable prognostic indicator, cervical cancer patients with Cath-D+ tumours had a shorter disease-free survival than those with Cath-D- tumors (P = 0.017).