title: High plasma YKL-40 level in patients with ovarian cancer stage III is related to shorter survival.
abstract: YKL-40 (human cartilage glycoprotein-39) is a member of family 18 glycosyl hydrolases. YKL-40 is a growth factor and is secreted by cancer cells. High serum levels of YKL-40 in patients with colorectal cancer and recurrent metastatic breast cancer have been associated with a poor prognosis. We evaluated the prognostic value of plasma YKL-40 in patients with primary ovarian cancer (OC). YKL-40 was determined by ELISA in plasma obtained preoperatively from 47 women with stage III OC and in plasma from 79 healthy females. The results showed that plasma YKL-40 was elevated compared to healthy females in 57% of the OC patients and was highest in the patients who died during the follow-up compared to the patients still alive (186 vs. 78 micro g/l, p=0.002). Patients with high plasma YKL-40 (>130 micro g/l) had significantly (p=0.0003) shorter survival than patients with normal plasma YKL-40. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that plasma YKL-40 (RH=3.95; 95% CI, 1.52-10.27; p=0.005) and radicality after primary surgery (RH=4.03; 95% CI, 1.81-8.97; p=0.001) were independent prognostic factors of survival, whereas age, histological type of tumour and serum CA125 had no independent prognostic value. In conclusion, plasma levels of YKL-40 proved of prognostic value in stage III OC patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. hogdall@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Estrid V S
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Høgdall
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: Susanne K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blaakaer
authors.forename: Johannes E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Glud
authors.forename: Claus K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Høgdall
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins