CDK1 as a Novel Potential Biomarker for Predicting the Prognosis of endometrioid ovarian carcinoma

Objective: Endometrioid ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is gynecological malignancy. Prognostic classification of EOC remains challenging, and the role of molecular markers in predicting prognosis is unclear. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) has been associated with poor prognosis in several malignancies. Here, we investigate the expression of CDK1 in EOC and its relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Methods: We used bioinformatics, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of CDK1 in EOC. The correlation between CDK1 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed using the chi-square test. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox analyses. Results: CDK1 was identified as a hub gene associated with EOC using bioinformatics analysis. CDK1 was significantly overexpressed in EOC compared to endometriosis lesions. Positive cytoplasmic CDK1 expression was associated with poor Disease-specific overall survival (HR=4.579, p=0.005) and poor Progression-free survival (HR=4.333, p=0.003). Cytoplasmic CDK1 expression was an independent predictor of Disease-specific overall survival (p = 0.035). Cytoplasmic CDK1 expression and FIGO stage were independent predictors of Progression-free survival (p = 0.013, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Positive cytoplasmic CDK1 expression was associated with advanced FIGO stage and poor prognosis, and was an independent predictor of Disease-specific overall survival and Progression-free survival. Our results suggest that CDK1 expression may be a useful prognostic marker for EOC.