Neue Biomarker beim Zervixkarzinom

The most important prognostic factors for cervical cancer are tumor extent, tumor morphology, and lymph node involvement. Biomarkers may additionally provide an understanding of the individual tumor biology thereby allowing improved patient counseling. Owing to controversial results in various studies, however, most biomarkers failed to be validated and thus to reach the clinic. Reasons include the lack of standardized methods and retrospective analyses of heterogeneous groups. Some of the most promising candidates include the identification of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosomes 6p21.2 and 18q21.2. Moreover, lymphovascular invasion is a prognostic factor in early stages, indicating unfavorable outcome. In the future, gene expression profiling may provide a more detailed and thus predictive picture of personal cancer biology.