Lipocalin‐2 and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 expression in high‐grade endometrial cancer and their prognostic value

Aims To demonstrate lipocalin‐2 ( LCN ‐2) immunohistochemical expression together with matrix metalloproteinase‐9 ( MMP ‐9) protein in high‐grade endometrial cancer and determine their correlations with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage, histological subtype, presence of vascular invasion, patient age and overall and disease‐free survival. Methods and results Immunohistochemical staining was performed using LCN ‐2 and MMP ‐9 antibodies on high‐grade endometrial cancer ( n = 85) diagnosed at Split University Hospital Centre during 1998–2010. Immunohistochemical expression was determined on archived paraffin‐embedded samples and scored semiquantitatively. Survival time was analysed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the log‐rank test was used to assess between‐group differences. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used on multivariate survival analysis. Patients were followed from the time of primary surgery until death or last follow‐up until December 2012. LCN ‐2 and MMP ‐9 were highly expressed in high‐grade endometrial cancer. Univariate analysis showed positive immunohistochemical staining for LCN ‐2 and MMP ‐9 to be associated with shorter survival in patients with high‐grade endometrial cancer. Multivariate analysis showed LCN ‐2 overexpression to be associated with shorter overall and disease‐free survival in high‐grade endometrial cancer. Conclusions Our findings suggest that LCN ‐2 expression may be an important independent indicator of shorter survival in patients with high‐grade endometrial cancer.