Exploring Nectin-4 as a potential diagnostic biomarker in endometrial adenocarcinoma : Title page.

BACKGROUND: This study explored Nectin-4 expression in endometrial adenocarcinoma and examined its relationship with tumor grade, hormone receptor status, p53 expression, and mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 55 paraffin-embedded tissue samples collected between 2015 and 2023, including endometrial adenocarcinoma, endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN), and normal endometrium samples. Nectin-4 expression was assessed via immunohistochemistry, and correlations with clinicopathological features and molecular markers were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: Nectin-4 expression increased with histological grade (p < 0.001). All Grade III tumors presented strong expression, whereas lower-grade tumors presented variable staining. The expression of these genes was also correlated with p53 overexpression (p = 0.007) and PMS2 loss (p = 0.002). Nectin-4 was absent in normal tissues and weakly expressed in EIN. CONCLUSION: Nectin-4 expression is linked to high-grade endometrial carcinoma and abnormal p53 expression, supporting its potential role as a diagnostic biomarker. Larger studies are needed to validate its clinical use.