Expression and clinical significance of pepsinogen C in epithelial ovarian carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
Pepsinogen C (pep C) is a gastric aspartic protease of which is associated with a favorable prognosis in breast cancer. Recently, it has been demonstrated in other tumors of extradigestive origin.


METHODS
We have analyzed pep C expression in 72 epithelial ovarian carcinomas by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Nineteen (26%) tumors stained positively for pep C. Overall this expression was not associated with the clinicopathologic characteristics or with outcome. However, in patients with serum levels of CA 125 less than 35 U/ml, pep C expression identified a group with a more favorable prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Pepsinogen C is expressed in a quarter of ovarian carcinomas and might identify a subset of patients with different prognosis.
Department of Gynecology, Hospital de Jove, Gijón, Spain. vazquezj@sego.es
Julio Vázquez
JV
Rojo
Antonio M
AM
Merino
Luis O
LO
González
Francisco
F
Vizoso
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D020115:Pepsinogen C / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D020115:Pepsinogen C