title: EGF-R and PCNA expression in ovarian carcinomas--correlation with classic prognostic factors.
abstract: Expression of the epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGF-R) and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was immunohistochemically studied in 75 ovarian cancer samples using formalin-fixed, parafin-embedded tissue. Correlations between these factors and conventional histomorphologic factors were investigated. 44 (58.7%) tumors were EGF-R positive (> 10% positive cells). 18 tumors (24%) showed a weak EGF-R-expression (< or = 50% positivity) and 26 tumors (34.7%) had a strong EGF-R-expression. Expression of EGF-R did not correlate with any of the other prognostic factors investigated. The PCNA-proliferative fraction was classified using the median value (< or = 34%/ > 34%) and a categorization in three groups (< 20%/20%-50%/ > 50%). PCNA-expression showed no correlation with FIGO-stage, histologic tumor type, lymph node-status and EGF-R. However, both PCNA-classifications correlated with the size of the residual tumor (PCNA < or = 34%/ > 34%/p = 0.046; PCNA < 20%/20%-50%/ > 50%/p = 0.086) and the histologic grading (p = 0.076; p = 0.02 respectively). Thus, the PCNA-proliferative fraction might be an additional indicator for tumor aggressiveness and disease outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Virchow Hospital, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minguillon
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schönborn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reles
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lichtenegger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001948:Brenner Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D066246:ErbB Receptors