Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the proapoptotic protein Apaf-1 in cervical cancers. Moreover, we studied its correlation to intratumoral pO(2) and to clinico-pathological parameters.
Methods: 86 patients with cervical cancer were subjected to intratumoral pO(2) measurement with the Eppendorf electrode. From these patients, cervical cancer tissue was used for immunohistochemistry with an anti-Apaf-1 antibody.
Results: Apaf-1 is expressed in cervical cancer. Cervical cancers with strong or moderate Apaf-1 expression had significantly less lymph node metastases at time of surgery than tumors with weak or negative Apaf-1 expression (P = 0.022). There was no significant correlation between Apaf-1 expression and intratumoral pO(2), pT stage, FIGO stage, lymphovascular space involvement, and grade.
Conclusions: Loss of Apaf-1 expression may represent a marker of aggressive tumor behavior since it correlates significantly with the occurrence of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer.