Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0476089 (endometrial cancer)
 11,379 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The object of this study was to clarify the association of angiogenic factor, platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF)/thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) with clinicopathological factors including tumor angiogenesis and patient outcome in endometrial cancer. There was no correlation between the expression of PD-ECGF in cancer cells and any of the clinicopathological variables. Immunopositivity for PD-ECGF in stroma cells was significantly higher in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas. The microvessel counts correlated with PD-ECGF positive stroma cells (p<0.0001). Disease-free survival was significantly worse in patients with marked PD-ECGF expression in stromal cells and high microvessel count. A multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model showed that high microvessel counts independently predicted disease-free survival as well as stage and myometrial invasion. The expression of PD-ECGF in stroma cells may play a crucial role in the promotion of angiogenesis. Tumor angiogenesis can be used to predict prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer.
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PMID:Angiogenesis and platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase expression in endometrial cancer. 1049 62

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), known to be elevated in several human cancers, regulates angiogenesis by inducing production of angiogenic factors. These mechanisms require clarification in endometrial cancer. COX-2 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in endometrial cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, and normal endometrium in various phases. We investigated the relationship between COX-2 expression and clinicopathologic variables, microvessel count, and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated COX-2 protein in cancerous epithelial cells but not in stromal cells. COX-2 expression in epithelial cells was significantly greater in endometrial cancer (n = 63) and endometrial hyperplasia (n = 6) than in normal endometrium in any phase (n = 53). Although COX-2 did not correlate with any conventional clinicopathologic factor in patients with endometrial cancer, COX-2 expression was associated with high microvessel count, VEGF expression, and TP expression. By combined analysis of COX-2, VEGF, and TP, tumors with high expression of at least one factor had a significantly higher microvessel count than tumors expressing little of the three factors. We confirmed upregulation of COX-2 mRNA expression by RT-PCR in endometrial cancer (n = 17) compared to normal endometrium (n = 12). COX-2 mRNA expression significantly correlated with VEGF mRNA expression in these tumors. COX-2 is upregulated in endometrial cancer and facilitates tumor growth via angiogenesis produced in associated with VEGF and TP. Specific inhibition of COX-2 may be a useful therapeutic intervention in endometrial cancer.
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PMID:Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in endometrial cancer: correlation with microvessel count and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and thymidine phosphorylase. 1195 47

Expression of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), also known as platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, in several types of malignant tumors has been associated with angiogenesis and an unfavorable prognosis. We performed a retrospective study on the immunohistochemical expression of TP in patients with uterine endometrial cancer to investigate correlations between the expression of TP and the clinicopathologic features and the prognosis. The immunohistochemical staining for TP, CD68 (macrophage/monocyte-specific antibody), and von Willebrand factor was performed in surgically resected specimens from 101 patients with operable endometrial cancer. A semiquantitative grading system was used to examine the staining pattern for TP. Positive staining for both cancer cell and tumor stromal cell TP was noted in 41% of the cases. Most of tumor stromal cells expressing TP were shown to coexpress CD68. High angiogenesis was also associated with TP overexpression in either cancer cells or tumor stromal cells. When stromal macrophages/fibroblasts exhibited high TP expression, independent of whether cancer cells showed the positive TP expression, a significant decrease in disease-free survival and overall survival was observed, which was found to be an independent prognostic factor. Stromal macrophage/fibroblast TP expression remained significant on multivariate analysis. We conclude that (1) TP is present in both cancer cells and stromal macrophages/fibroblasts, (2) high angiogenesis correlated with TP overexpression, (3) TP produced by neighboring tumor-infiltrating macrophages may play a part in the regulation of the local invasion and distant metastatic behavior, and (4) TP overexpression in stromal macrophages/fibroblasts may be associated with a poor prognosis.
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PMID:Thymidine phosphorylase expression in tumor-infiltrating macrophages may be correlated with poor prognosis in uterine endometrial cancer. 1245 15

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is a pyrimidine salvage enzyme responsible for degradation of thymine, which is produced from thymidine by thymidine phosphorylase (TP). Our purpose was to determine the relationship between DPD, cell proliferation and TP expression in human endometrium. We examined DPD gene expression using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, DPD protein levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and DPD protein localization using immunohistochemistry in 58 normal endometria and 28 endometrial cancers. DPD gene expression was then related to the proliferating cell nuclear antigen index and to TP gene expression. DPD gene expression, which was correlated with DPD protein level, was relatively stable throughout various menstrual phases but was significantly elevated in postmenopausal status. It was significantly lower in endometrial cancer than in normal endometrium. Localization analysis revealed that DPD protein was located primarily in epithelial cells, but was also present in stromal cells. DPD gene expression correlated inversely with the PCNA index. TP gene expression pattern contrasted with that of DPD in postmenopausal and malignant endometrium. A high ratio of TP to DPD gene expression was significantly more frequent in endometrial cancer than in normal endometrium in any menstrual phase. DPD may act cooperatively with TP to affect cell function by maintaining the pyrimidine nucleotide pool balance in normal and malignant endometrium.
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PMID:Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in normal and malignant endometrium: relationship with cell proliferation and thymidine phosphorylase. 1291 Apr 18

The formation of new blood vessels in endometrial cancer tissue is a main process, which leads to tumor progression, and is connected with tumor expansion and invasiveness. The aim of the study was evaluation of thymidine phosphorylase protein (TP) expression in human endometrial cancer cells by immunohistochemistry and comparison obtained data with intensity of angiogenesis process and clinicopathological factors as FIGO stage of disease and histopathologic grade. Endometrial cancer specimens were obtained from 55 postmenopausal patients (aged 52 to 74 years) underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. None of patients received preoperative pelvic irradiation. Histopathological typing and grading of the endometrial tumors (G-1, G-2, G-3) as well as myometrial invasion (<1/2, >1/2) were assessed using standard criteria, on hematoxylin-eosin sections. At the surgery, FIGO clinical stage of disease was determined. Thymidine phosphorylase overexpression was observed in 23 of 55 (41.8%) cases of endometrial cancer. Although we found no statistically significant differences in TP expression between histopathologic grades, particular FIGO stages showed a significant trend of increase TP tumor overexpression. Thymidine phosphorylase overexpression cases demonstrate higher intensity of angiogenesis in comparison to negative samples and results are statistically significant for t-test (p<0.0001). The most intensive new blood vessel formation was observed in G-2 of tumor differentiation grade (p=0.013 for ANOVA test) Mean angiogenic points density (APD) values in cases of G-1 histopathologic grade reached 135.7; values of G-2 and G-3 grades reached 213.8 and 162.8, respectively. Mean intensity of angiogenesis in the first FIGO stage of disease reached 160.0 APD, in stage II 205.6 APD, and in the third 286.9, respectively. Angiogenesis was more intensive in cases of advanced tumors - analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed statistically significant differences in APD values between FIGO stage groups (p=0.0007). In conclusion, thymidine phosphorylase expression correlates with increased microvessel density in endometrial cancer. The intensity of angiogenesis process increases according to FIGO stage of disease, which is connected with progressing of cancer disease. Thymidine phosphorylase can play an important role in endometrial cancer progression and could offer additional information about advance of disease.
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PMID:Evaluation of tumor angiogenesis and thymidine phosphorylase tissue expression in patients with endometrial cancer. 1665 95

Tumor suppressor gene p53, the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers has been shown to play an important role in the biology of gynaecological carcinomas. Thymidine phosphorylase is one of the most important angiogenic factors, which is connected with tumor expansion and invasiveness. The aim of the study was an evaluation of thymidine phosphorylase and p-53 tissue protein expression in human endometrial cancer cells by immunohistochemistry and comparison obtained data with clinicopathological factors as FIGO stage of disease and histopathologic grade. Endometrial cancer specimens were obtained from 55 postmenopausal patients (aged 52 to 74 years) operated by total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. None of patients received preoperative pelvic irradiation. Histopathological typing and grading of the endometrial tumors (G-1, G-2, G-3) as well as myometrial invasion (<1/2, >1/2) were assessed using standard criteria, on hematoxylin-eosin sections. FIGO clinical stage of disease was determined. at the surgery. Thymidine phosphorylase overexpression was observed in 23 (41,8 %) cases. Although we found no statistically significant differences in TP expression between histopathologic grades, particular FIGO stages showed a significant trend of increase TP tumor overexpression. P53 protein overexpression was observed in tumor tissue in 21 cases (35,2%). It tended to be more frequent in cases of advanced disease as well as in low differentiated tumors. Although we found no statistically significant differences in p53 gene expression between groups of FIGO stage and histopathologic grade, we obtained a significant trend of increasing the P53 positive rate with both FIGO and tumour differentiation grading Joint assessment of thymidine phosphorylase and tumor suppressor genes expression may be of additional value in determining the biology of endometrial carcinoma. Key words: endometrial cancer, thymidine phosphorylase, p-53.
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PMID:A role of thymidine phosphorylase and P53 tissue protein expression in biology of endometrial cancer. 1834 59