Purpose of investigation: The aim of the study was to show the role of the cytoskeletal proteins CK8 and CK18 in endometrial cancer invasion and to histopathologically classify endometrial cancer patients.
Methods: This study was a prospective analysis of 49 histologic samples of consecutively surgically operated endometrial cancer patients. After histopathologic classification the most invasive tumor area was selected for immunohistochemistry. Monoclonal antihuman keratin Ab-4 and keratin Ab-1 were applied.
Results: CK8 and CK18 stained tumoral tissue and tumoral cell debris in the lymphovascular space were significantly correlated with stage (p < or = 0.005).
Conclusions: To understand the causes of early treatment failure in endometrial cancer patients, further studies are needed to show the role of enhancing factors of endometrial cancer invasion.