HK2 is a radiation resistant and independent negative prognostic factor for patients with locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

The mechanism by which overexpression of hexokinase 2 (HK2) indicates locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma (LACSCC) with radio-resistance is still unknown despite being an independent biomarker of poor prognosis. Here, we retrospectively analyzed 132 female patients receiving radiotherapy for cervical squamous cell carcinoma including 85 radiation-sensitive cases and 47 radiation-resistant cases. The expression of HK2 was examined by immunohistochemistry. The percentage of high HK2 expression in the radiation-resistant group differed from the radiation-sensitive group with statistical significance (P < 0.001) even if divided into three subgroups including a lower 5-year progression free survival group (PFS) for comparison (P < 0.001). The Kaplan Meier curve analysis showed that there were differences between the two groups (P < 0.001). Therefore, this study proves a close relationship between HK2 expression and radio-resistance. Multivariate Cox regression analysis implied that HK2 was an independent prognostic indicator of cervical squamous carcinoma (HR (95% CI), 2.940 (1.609, 1.609); P = 0.002).