High concentrations of activin A in the peritoneal fluid of women with epithelial ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentrations of activin A in the peritoneal fluid of women with epithelial (serous) ovarian cancer.


METHODS
A group of 160 women was studied and divided in four subgroups as follows: 1) serous ovarian carcinoma (n = 32); 2) serous ovarian cystadenoma (n = 20); 3) endometriosis (n = 53); and 4) healthy controls (n = 55), including both fertile (n = 32) and postmenopausal women (n = 23). Specimens of peritoneal fluid were collected during surgical interventions, and activin A was quantified using a specific two-site enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
Peritoneal fluid activin A concentrations in women with ovarian carcinoma were about five-fold higher than those found in the control group (median [interquartile range] = 7.60 [2.85-10.15] and 1.50 [1.00-2.50] ng/mL, respectively, P <.001). In contrast, the women with benign serous cystadenoma had peritoneal fluid activin A concentrations (1.50 [1.0-2.70] ng/mL) similar to those of the control group. High peritoneal fluid activin A levels (>2 multiples of the mean) distinguished carcinoma from cystadenoma with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 80%. The follow-up of nine patients with stage IIIc ovarian cancer showed no apparent relationship between the peritoneal fluid activin A levels and overall survival. No significant difference in peritoneal fluid activin A concentrations between patients with endometriosis and control women was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Most women with serous ovarian carcinoma had high concentrations of activin A in the peritoneal fluid, supporting a possible role of this growth factor in ovarian cancer.
Cobellis
Luigi
L
Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Reis
Fernando M
FM
Luisi
Stefano
S
Danero
Secondo
S
Pirtoli
Luigi
L
Scambia
Giovanni
G
Petraglia
Felice
F
D028341:Activins / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D003536:Cystadenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D018293:Cystadenoma, Serous / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate
C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits