L1CAM is not prognostic factor in HPV-associated adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common malignancy. The significant prognostic factors are tumor size and lympho-vascular space invasion. Considering that these are nonspecific factors, research has been aimed at finding a specific molecular marker related to a higher incidence of relapse and mortality in patients with CC.

Objective: Our study investigated the prognostic value of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) expression in rare histological subtypes of cervical cancer (adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous cell carcinomas).

Methods: This is a single-institution retrospective study with 35 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous cell carcinoma in 2007 through 2017. Paraffin sections of the tumor were used for L1CAM analysis by immunohistochemistry.

Results: L1CAM expression was positive in 15 (42.8%) of the 35 tumors. L1CAM expression did not differ significantly in regard to the stage of disease, tumor size, grading, or lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (p = 0.619, p = 0.341, p = 0.445, p = 0.999). Progression-free interval and overall survival did not differ between L1CAM-positive and L1CAM-negative groups (p = 0.704, p = 0.386, respectively).

Conclusions: In our study, L1CAM expression is not a negative prognostic factor associated with aggressive tumor behavior, recurrence risk and overall survival.