Lectins Binding in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker

Min, Yu Seon; Kang, Jae Seong; Kim, In Sun

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the corelation between an expression of lectins and survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix. METHODS: The cell surface carbohydrate profile of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue section of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix was evaluated using ulex europaeus agglutinin(UEA-1), peanut agglutinin(PNA), dolichos biflorus agglutinin(DBA), soybean agglutinin(SBA) and lotus tetragonobus lectin(LTL) by the avidin-biotin complex method. Fifty-one cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 10 cases of normal squamous epithelium of the uterine cervix were selected from the file which were treated during Jan. 89 to 31 Dec. 1992 in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University Hospital. RESULTS: UEA-1 and LTL were negative in normal cervix while positive in 76.5%, 47.1% of squamous cell carcinoma respectively, and useful markers for differential diagnosis between normal and squamous cell carcinoma. SBA and LTL were useful for differential diagnosis of keratinizing and non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. UEA-1 may play an important role in lymphovascular invasion of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. CONCLUSIONS: There was no correlation among clinical staging, patient's survival and lectins binding in squamous cell carcinoma.