Chemotherapy may be more effective in highly proliferative ovarian carcinomas--a translational research subprotocol of a prospective randomized phase III study (AGO-OVAR 3 protocol).
OBJECTIVE
Proliferative activity (PA) may be an indicator of a neoplasm's malignant potential, and it has been described as a prognostic factor in different malignant tumors. It was our aim to study the prognostic significance of PA defined by Ki-S5 and Ki-S2 immunohistochemical staining in a large homogeneously treated cohort with primary advanced-stage ovarian carcinomas.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical detection of PA was performed using monoclonal Ki-S5 and Ki-S2 antibodies and standard immunostaining protocols. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression multivariate analysis were performed.


RESULTS
High Ki-S5 PA was associated with a better prognosis. This finding was statistically significant after univariate and multivariate analysis. A similar trend was found in the subgroup of completely debulked patients. No prognostic effect of Ki-S2 PA could be detected in the present study.


CONCLUSIONS
High Ki-S5 PA is an indicator of a more favourable prognosis in patients with advanced ovarian carcinomas. Antiproliferative chemotherapy may be more effective in tumors which are highly proliferative, possibly due to an increased chemosensitivity.
Kommoss
Stefan
S
Institute of Pathology, 68159 Mannheim, Germany. stefan.kommoss@gyn-patho.de
du Bois
Andreas
A
Schmidt
Dietmar
D
Parwaresch
R
R
Pfisterer
Jacobus
J
Kommoss
Friedrich
F
D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal