Purpose: Determination of the correlation between expression of human chorionic gonadotropin mRNA and serum free hCGb immunoreactivity in endometrial cancer tissue.
Methods: The study included 56 patients with endometrial carcinoma Stages IB-III. The expression of mRNA hCGbeta was determined by the RT PCR method in 18 cases of cancerous and precancerous tissues. The serum-free hCGbeta immunoreactivity was analyzed by sequential immunometric assay in all patients.
Results: In 15 study specimens of endometrial carcinoma tissue mRNA of hCGbeta was detected. Also in endometrial atypical hyperplasia, expression of hCGbeta was found. Noncancerous tissue demonstrated lack of the hCGbeta transcript. The serum immunoreactivity in the endometrial cancer group was detectable in 86% of cases. There were no significant differences between FIGO stages and grading.
Conclusion: The results of the present study confirmed the presence of active genes of hCGbeta in endometrial cancer tissue, even in precancerous changes. The serum immunoreactivity of free hCGbeta is a less common feature and is not linked with tumor stage or grade in endometrial cancer patients.