p53 expression, DNA ploidy and mitotic index as prognostic factors in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Biological variables linked to genomic instability were examined and related to survival in 52 patients affected by ovarian carcinoma and nine patients with low malignant potential tumors (LMP).


METHODS
DNA ploidy was measured by image cytometry in isolated neoplastic cells; the mitotic index was measured in Feulgen-toluidine blue-stained sections and p53 was investigated by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Twenty-five tumors (4 LMP) were peridiploid (ploidy < 2.25c), 22 tumors (4 LMP) were hyperdiploid (2.25c > ploidy < 2.9c) and 14 (1 LMP) had high ploidy (> or = 2.9c). MI ranged from 0.3 to 24.2 with a mean of 1.8 for LMP and 6.8 for carcinomas (P<0.001). Widespread p53 overexpression was detected in 49% of carcinomas and in none of the LMP tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Survival analysis performed in patients with carcinomas indicated that, of the examined biological variables, only MI was moderately associated with survival in a subgroup of early-stage patients.
Ceccaroni
Marcello
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy.
Chieco
Pasquale
P
Alboni
Carlo
C
De Laco
Pierandrea
P
Pagano
Katia
K
Ceccarelli
Claudio
C
Santini
Donatella
D
Taroni
Beatrice
B
Pelusi
Giuseppe
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011003:Ploidies; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53