Molecular profile of advanced-stage transitional cell carcinoma of the ovary.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine the molecular profile of advanced-stage transitional cell carcinoma in terms of immunostaining for p53, epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu, deoxyribonucleic acid index, and S-phase fraction and to analyze the prognostic significance of these markers.


METHODS
Archival paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 29 advanced stage transitional cell carcinomas were obtained. Selected sections of the primary tumors were immunostained for p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and HER-2/neu; deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and S-phase fraction were determined with use of flow cytometry. Clinical information was abstracted from the medical records. Survival times were analyzed according to the life-table methods of Kaplan and Meier, and the statistical significance of the various factors was tested with the log-rank test. The proportional hazards model of Cox was used to identify prognostic factors.


RESULTS
Positive immunostaining was observed for p53 in 13 cases (45%), for epidermal growth factor receptor in 14 cases (50%), and for HER-2/neu in 19 cases (65%). Tumors were diploid in 16 cases (55%) and aneuploid in 13 (45%). The S-phase fraction was < or = 15% (mean) in 13 cases (45%) and > 15% in 16 cases (55%). The median survival for the entire group was 52 months. None of the above variables had a significant effect on survival time.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither immunostaining for p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and HER-2/neu nor deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy nor S-phase fraction allowed us to distinguish transitional cell carcinoma from other more common epithelial ovarian cancers. In addition, no prognostic significance was associated with these biomarkers. A study of larger numbers of cases may be more elucidative.
Gershenson
D M
DM
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Baker
V V
VV
Price
J E
JE
Hung
M C
MC
El-Naggar
A K
AK
Tortolero-Luna
G
G
Silva
E G
EG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015993:Life Tables; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016196:S Phase; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53