Prognostic Impact and Therapeutic Potential of CDC20 in Cervical Cancer: Insights from Clinical and Experimental Analyses

CDC20 has been identified as an oncogene involved in the development and prognosis of various cancers, yet its role in cervical cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate CDC20 expression in cervical cancer tissues and its clinical significance. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 249 cervical cancer patients diagnosed at Nanchong Central Hospital from January to December 2022. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess CDC20 expression, and statistical methods compared clinicopathological characteristics. Survival analysis employed the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression identified survival risk factors. Additionally, siRNA was used to knock down CDC20 in HeLa cells to examine its effects on proliferation, invasion, and migration. Results indicated that CDC20 expression was significantly higher in cervical cancer tissues (61.85%) compared to adjacent normal tissues (7.5%) ( p  < 0.05). High CDC20 expression was associated with poorer overall survival, particularly in specific subgroups ( p  < 0.05) and identified as an independent risk factor ( p  < 0.05). Silencing CDC20 inhibited cancer cell proliferation and invasion, while xenograft models demonstrated reduced tumor growth with CDC20 inhibition ( p  < 0.01). CDC20 may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cervical cancer.