Elevated CTHRC1 expression is an indicator for poor prognosis and lymph node metastasis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is overexpressed in different kinds of cancer tissues and may thus promote tumor formation. Thus, we aimed to explore whether CTHRC1 could be a predictor of clinical significance including survival in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Western blot analysis was conducted in 20 frozen tissue specimens of CSCC and 10 frozen tissue sections of normal cervix. Immunohistochemistry was performed in 130 tissues with CSCC. The relationships of CTHRC1 expression with clinicopathological variables, and prognosis of CSCCs were explored. Statistical analyses were carried out using χ2 test, multivariate Cox proportional-hazard model, Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The expression of the CTHRC1 protein was significantly higher in tumors than in normal tissues (P < .001). CTHRC1 overexpression was strongly associated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P = .038), histologic grade (P < .001), stromal infiltration depth (P < .001), lymphovascular space invasion (P = .023), lymph node metastasis (P = .001), and recurrence (P = .021). The multivariate proportional-hazard model revealed that CTHRC1 overexpression was an independent predictor of overall survival and disease-free survival (P = .034 and P = .025, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high CTHRC1 expression was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (odds ratio: 2.658; 95% confidence interval: 1.120-6.305; P = .020). Therefore, CTHRC1 may be a valuable biomarker for predicting the prognosis and metastasis of CSCC and a potential therapeutic target for treatment of the disease.