The expression and prognostic significance of the tumour-associated glycoprotein 72 in the normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium using immunohistochemical methods

Aim of the study: Our aim was to investigate the expression and the prognostic significance of tumour-associated glycoprotein 72 (TAG-72), which is an epithelial tumour marker, using immunohistochemical methods in the normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium.

Material and methods: The study group comprised of 47 cases with simple non-atypical hyperplasia and normal endometrium (n = 17), complex non-atypical hyperplasia (n = 10), and endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 21). The epithelial tumour marker TAG-72 was determined by immunohistochemical methods. The location of TAG-72 in the differential diagnosis and its prognostic value were statistically analyzed.

Results: The immunoreactivity of the immunohistochemical dye was evaluated in terms of the pattern, intensity and pattern + intensity. The comparison between the three groups showed that there was a significant difference in terms of pattern (p < 0.001), intensity (p < 0.001) and pattern + intensity (p < 0.001). The marker TAG-72 was not found to be a prognostic marker for endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Conclusions: The marker TAG-72 is a reliable parameter and marker for the differentiation of the neoplastic endometrium from the non-neoplastic and hyperplastic endometrium. There is a significant relationship between the increasing age and staining pattern of the TAG-72 expression. Still, TAG-72 does not seem to be an independent prognostic factor for the endometrial carcinoma.