Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical surgical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection is considered an effective method to treat patients with bulky stage IB-IIA cervical cancer, but not all patients benefit from NACT. Apoptotic proteins play important roles in the progression of chemotherapy, and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac) may have a cooperative relationship with Omi/HtrA2, leading to carcinogenesis and chemotherapy resistance. Chemosensitivity is an important prognostic factor for cervical cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of Smac, survivin, X-linked inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (XIAP), and Omi/HtrA2 expression in predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the prognostic significance of te expression of these proteins in cervical cancer patients. Our findings showed that low expression levels of survivin and high expression levels of Omi/HtrA2 in chemotherapy-responsive cervical carcinoma patients significantly increased chemosensitivity.
Keywords: Cervical carcinoma; IHC; apoptotic proteins; chemosensitivity.