Expression and Clinical Significance of Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen in Cervical Cancer

Abstract

To determine the expression patterns of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) and serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in cervical cancer andtheir clinical significance and to explore their relationship with clinicopathological parameters. The expression of PHGDH was detected in 75 cervical cancer tissues and 21 normal cervical epithelium by immunohistochemistry. The SCC-Ag level was tested in 64 serum samples of the 75 squamous cervical cancer cases by immunoradiometric assay. The correlation of PHGDH and SCC-Ag with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase was more moderate/strong expressed in cervical cancer than in normal cervical epithelium (72% vs 28.6%, respectively; P < 0.05); furthermore, PHGDH and serum SCC-Ag expression in squamous cervical cancer were positively correlated (r = 0.310, P < 0.05). Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and serum SCC-Ag were both associated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and tumor size (P < 0.05). The overexpression of PHGDH is found in cervical cancer, in particular, in bigger tumors and with advanced stages; and its expression is positively correlated with serum SCC-Ag level and implies that PHGDH may useful for prognosis, prediction, and treatment of cervical cancer.