The differential expression of AFF3 in cervical cancer and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis

Figures & data

Figure 1. Study process.

Table 1. Clinical information of CC patients.

Baseline Characteristics	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)
Total	78	100.00
Age (years)
< 50	47	60.26
≥ 50	31	39.74
Pathological stage
SCC	68	87.18
ACC	10	12.82
Histological grading
G1/G2	51	65.38
G3	27	34.62
Tumoursize (cm)
> 4	25	32.05
≤ 4	53	67.95
Depth of myometrial invasion
< 1/2	61	78.21
≥ 1/2	17	21.79
LNM
Yes	29	37.18
No	49	62.82
LVSI
Yes	38	48.72
No	40	51.28
Distant metastasis
Yes	3	3.85
No	75	96.15
FIGO stage
I	24	30.77
II	25	32.05
III/IV	29	37.18

Note: AFF3: AF4/FMR2 Family Member 3; SCC: Squamous cell carcinoma; ACC: Adenoid cystic carcinoma; LNM: lymph node metastasis; LVSI: lymphovascular space invasion; FIGO: International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics; Data were expressed as frequency (N) and constituent ratio (%).

Figure 2. AFF3 expression in CC tissues. (A, B): AFF3 expression was assessed using GEPIA and UALCAN databases; cancer tissue samples and adjacent tissues were collected from CC patients; (C): Relative expression of AFF3 mRNA in the tissues was measured by qRT-PCR; (D): Relative expression of AFF3 protein was detected by WB, with representative bands shown. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. n = 78 for (C, D). Data (C, D) were analysed using the paired t test. *p < 0.05.

Table 2. AFF3 expression is associated with the clinicopathological features of CC patients.

Characteristics	AFF3 expression		P
	Low (n = 36)	High (n = 42)
Age (years), N			0.125
< 50	25	22
≥ 50	11	20
Pathological stage, N			0.676
SCC	32	36
ACC	4	6
Histological grading, N			0.797
G1/G2	23	28
G3	13	14
Tumoursize (cm), N			0.454
> 4	10	15
≤ 4	26	27
Depth of myometrial invasion, N			0.310
< 1/2	30	31
≥ 1/2	6	11
LNM, N			0.002
Yes	20	9
No	16	33
LVSI, N			0.834
Yes	18	20
No	18	22
Distant metastasis, N			0.467
Yes	2	1
No	34	41
FIGO stage, N			0.008
I	8	16
II	8	17
III/IV	20	9

Note: AFF3: AF4/FMR2 Family Member 3; SCC: Squamous cell carcinoma; ACC: Adenoid cystic carcinoma; LNM: lymph node metastasis; LVSI: lymphovascular space invasion; FIGO: International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics; Data were expressed as frequency (N) and processed with Chi-square test.

Figure 3. Association between clinicopathological features, AFF3 expression, and 5-year OS of CC patients. (A–J): OS analysis based on AFF3 expression and clinicopathological features using Kaplan-Meier curves. Log-rank test was performed.

Figure 4. AFF3 as an independent prognostic factor for CC patients. (A): COX univariate analysis illustrating the relationship between AFF3 expression, clinicopathological factors, and prognosis. (B): COX multivariate analysis identifying independent prognostic factors for CC. Line segments represent 95%CI.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.