Nm23 expression in endometrial and cervical cancer: inverse correlation with lymph node involvement and myometrial...

The expression of nm23 has been shown to correlate in some solid tumours with their metastatic potential and to be associated with a favourable prognosis in human breast cancer and melanoma. In breast and ovarian cancer nm23 expression is also correlated with lymph node involvement. We analysed the expression of nm23-H1 and -H2 in normal endometrium and in endometrial and cervical cancer by both Northern and Western blotting. Cellular localisation of Nm23-H1 was visualised by immunohistochemistry mostly in the cytoplasm. Both isoforms of Nm23 were present in all the samples analysed, and a clear direct correlation between Nm23-H1 and -H2 levels was evident. Median nm23-H2 levels were higher than than -H1 levels in both tissues. Cervical cancer patients with lymph node involvement were shown to have significantly lower protein levels of Nm23 (P < 0.007 for H1 and P < 0.009 for H2), and a similar trend was also evident in endometrial cancer. Furthermore, the degree of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer patients was also inversely correlated with Nm23-H1 levels of expression (P < 0.003). Nm23 level may therefore be taken into consideration as a new marker in the prognostic characterisation and in the treatment planning of uterine tumour patients.