PTEN-positive and phosphorylated-Akt-negative expression is a predictor of survival for patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma

Oncol Rep. 2005 Aug;14(2):389-92.

Abstract

PTEN and the PI3K/Akt pathway are involved in the development and/or progression of endometrial carcinoma. To clarify the impact of the pathway-related molecules on prognosis, we analyzed PTEN, phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt), and Ki-67 expression by immunohistochemistry in 99 patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma. PTEN-negative or PTEN-mixed staining was found in 66% of tumors. Positive staining of p-Akt was found in 40% of tumors. Loss of PTEN expression (negative or mixed) was significantly associated with positive p-Akt expression. The patients with PTEN-positive and p-Akt-negative expression clearly showed a higher survival rate than patients in the other groups. Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that the combination of PTEN/Akt expression was an independent prognostic factor. Examining the relationship between p-Akt expression and Ki-67 labeling index (LI), we found that negative p-Akt was related to a decrease in Ki-67 LI. Additionally, the patients with low Ki-67 LI, as determined by p-Akt-expression status, had a better prognosis. In the present study, we demonstrated that PTEN-positive and p-Akt-negative expression was a predictor of survival for patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma. This study suggests the clinical significance of PTEN and p-Akt expression analysis in treatment decisions for patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Ki-67 Antigen / analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / biosynthesis*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Prognosis
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / biosynthesis*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • AKT1 protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human