Is potential to produce inhibins related to prognosis in ovarian granulosa cell tumors?
OBJECTIVE
The prognosis of ovarian granulosa cell tumors is difficult to predict by conventional histological methods.


METHODS
The tumors of 30 patients operated on for a granulosa cell tumor were retrospectively studied for the expression of the inhibin alpha-subunit. The immunohistochemical staining results were correlated to the FIGO stage of the tumor and the prognosis of the patients.


RESULTS
Twenty-six (87%) of the ovarian granulosa cell tumors stained positively for the inhibin alpha-subunit. All FIGO stage I and II tumors expressed inhibin alpha-subunit. All FIGO stage I and II tumors expressed inhibin, whereas the majority of stages III and IV did not (p=0.001, chi2-test). The survival of the patients with inhibin immunopositive tumors was significantly longer (median 183 months, SE 41, p=0.000, log rank test) than that of patients without inhibin expression (median 2.5 months, SE 5.25).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with ovarian granulosa cell tumors with a potential to produce the inhibin alpha-subunit may have a more favorable prognosis than those with inhibin immunonegative tumors.
Ala-Fossi
S L
SL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
Aine
R
R
Punnonen
R
R
Mäenpää
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006106:Granulosa Cell Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007265:Inhibins