[c-erbB2 gene amplification in human primary epithelial ovarian cancer and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To study c-erbB2 gene amplification in human primary epithelial ovarian cancer and its clinical significance.


METHODS
One hundred forty nine samples of primary epithelial ovarian tumors, including 34 beign tumors, 7 borderline tumors and 108 carcinoma, were studied for c-erbB2 gene amplification by Southern blot analysis.


RESULTS
c-erbB2 gene amplification was detected in 35 (32.4%) of the 108 cases with primaey epithelial ovarian carcinoma, while all cases with beign tumors and borderline lesions were negative (P < 0.001). There was a strong correlation between c-erbB2 gene amplification and FIGO stage of human ovarian carcinoma (P = 0.026), degree of cell differentiation (P = 0.011) and the size of residual tumor (P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that c-erbB2 gene amplification was an independent prognostic factor. The average 3-year survival rate was 28.4% in patients with gene amplification and 57.7% in patients without gene amplification(P = 0.016).


CONCLUSIONS
c-erbB2 gene amplification occurs almost in 1/3 of the patients with ovarian carcinoma examined. Ovarian carcinoma with c-erbB2 gene amplification is highly malignant and associated with poor prognosis.
Shanghai Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Medical University.
H
H
Yang
G
G
Zhang
K
K
Xu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis