BNIP-3 immunoscoring is associated with the mode of invasion and juxtatumoral desmoplastic stromal alterations in carcinoma of the cervix uteri

Aims: Finger-like and spray-like pattern of invasion represent the most common types of tumoral growth patterns in carcinoma of the cervix uteri (CX) invading host tissue (Horn et al. 2006). Infiltrative growth usually induce new matrix formation by activating the peritumoral stromal cells; that is, desmoplastic stromal reaction (DSR) at the front of invasion (juxtatumoral stroma). Infiltrative growth and peritumoral stromal remodelling might be involved by apoptosis of tumor cells. BNIP3 is a mitochondrial protein and a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family and expressed in different types of human cancer. No…