Stromelysin-3 expression in invasive ovarian carcinomas and tumours of low malignant potential.
Stromelysin (ST)-3 is considered to be a marker of invasion and preinvasive lesions to indicate the likelihood of subsequent invasion. The expression of ST-3 has not been systematically studied in ovarian neoplasms. We studied 47 ovarian carcinomas and 49 ovarian tumours of low malignant potential (LMP) to see whether the expression of ST-3 correlated with any histopathologic features and, in the LMP tumours, whether its expression might be a prognostic indicator. All of the primary tumours and available metastases or implants were studied using immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ST-3 and, in 52 selected lesions, in situ hybridisation (ISH) using a cDNA probe. Expression of ST-3 was seen in 42 of 47 (89%) of the carcinomas and in 16 of 49 (33%) of the LMP cases. A significantly higher percentage of carcinomas than LMP tumours (P<0.00001) expressed ST-3 in the stroma adjacent to the tumour, with a correlation to increasing FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) tumour stage. ST-3 was expressed in the surrounding stroma of 1 of 8 LMP implants and 46 of 55 (84%) of the carcinoma metastases. The single LMP patient who died of tumour recurrence had ST-3 expression, but a significant prognostic impact was not found. The infrequent expression of ST-3 in LMP compared with carcinoma metastases appears to be more consistent with a peritoneal "field effect" than spread from the ovarian LMP tumour.
Mueller
J
J
Department of Surgery, Technische Universität München, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany. jd.mueller@lrz.tu-muenchen.de
Brebeck
B
B
Schmalfeldt
B
B
Kuhn
W
W
Graeff
H
H
Höfler
H
H
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000737:chemistry; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D053507:Matrix Metalloproteinase 11; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
D053507:Matrix Metalloproteinase 11; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases