Overexpression of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A2 (EIF5A2) is associated with cancer progression and poor prognosis in patients with early-stage cervical cancer

Aims As one of the only two isoforms of the eukaryotic initiation factor (EIF)5A family, EIF5A2 plays an important role in tumour progression and prognosis evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate EIF5A2 expression in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I–II cervical cancer and to evaluate its clinical significance. Methods and results The mRNA and protein expression levels of EIF5A2 were analysed in 20 tissue samples of FIGO stage I–II cervical cancer and paired surrounding non‐tumour cervical tissues by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine EIF5A2 protein expression in paraffin‐embedded tissues from 314 patients with cervical cancer. The mRNA and protein expression levels of EIF5A2 were significantly elevated in tumour tissues. The increased EIF5A2 expression was correlated with higher FIGO stage (P < 0.001), deep cervical stromal invasion (P = 0.026), lymphovascular space involvement (P = 0.002), pelvic lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001) and postoperative recurrence (P < 0.001) in patients with cervical cancer. Patients with tumours showing high EIF5A2 expression had a poorer survival time than those with normal EIF5A2 expression, especially the patients with negative pelvic lymph nodes and FIGO stage II. In addition, multivariate Cox analysis showed that high EIF5A2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival [hazard ratio 1.949; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.116–3.404; P = 0.019] and disease‐free survival (hazard ratio 1.980; 95% CI 1.189–3.297; P = 0.009). Conclusions EIF5A2 overexpression may contribute to cancer progression and poor prognosis. Therefore, EIF5A2 could be a novel potential prognostic marker for FIGO stage I–II cervical cancer.