E-Cadherin complex protein expression and survival in ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between expression of E-cadherin complex proteins, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-erbB-2 and disease outcome in advanced-stage ovarian carcinomas.


METHODS
Sections from 75 primary ovarian carcinomas (=37) and metastatic lesions (=38) from 45 patients diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma (FIGO stage III-IV) were immunostained and evaluated for staining pattern, extent, and intensity. Patients were divided in two groups based on disease outcome. Long-term survivors (21 patients) and short-term survivors (24 patients) were defined using a double cutoff of 36 months for disease-free survival (DFS) and 60 months for overall survival (OS). Mean follow-up period was 70 months. The mean values for DFS and OS were 109 and 125 months for long-term survivors, as compared to 3 and 21 months for short-term survivors, respectively.


RESULTS
Comparison of all primary and metastatic lesions showed upregulation of gamma-catenin protein expression in the latter (P = 0.05). When segregated according to disease outcome, the expression of all studied proteins, with the exception of EGFR, was more diffuse in tumors of short-term survivors. The presence of cytoplasmic staining for c-erbB-2 was associated with poor survival in the entire cohort (P = 0.007), as well as in primary tumors alone (P = 0.003), in survival analysis. Similar results were seen in the evaluation of primary tumors for gamma-catenin (P = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
gamma-Catenin, and possibly c-erbB-2, are valid markers of poor survival in advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma.
Davidson
B
B
Department of Pathology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Montebello, Oslo, N-0310, Norway. bend@ulrik.uio.no
Gotlieb
W H
WH
Ben-Baruch
G
G
Nesland
J M
JM
Bryne
M
M
Goldberg
I
I
Kopolovic
J
J
Berner
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases