Maspin expression in epithelial ovarian cancer and associations with poor prognosis: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined MASPIN expression in human ovarian cancer, and explored the association between MASPIN and prognosis in patients with advanced stage disease treated with first-line cisplatin, carboplatin and/or paclitaxel.


METHODS
Frozen primary tumors were obtained from 68 women with previously untreated, advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer who participated in a specimen banking protocol and a phase III treatment trial conducted by the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Immunoblot analysis was performed in lysates prepared from these tumor specimens to quantify the relative expression of MASPIN/beta-actin.


RESULTS
MASPIN was expressed at detected levels in 49 (72%) cases with relative expression ranging from 0.02 to 7.7 (median = 0.2), and was not detected in 19 (28%) of the primary tumors tested. Non-detectable levels of this class II tumor suppressor gene product and inhibitor of angiogenesis were associated with suboptimally-debulked disease (P = 0.034) but not with patient age, FIGO stage, tumor grade, or histologic subtype. After adjusting for prognostic variables for disease progression or death, non-detectable MASPIN expression predicted an increased risk of disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-3.45; P = 0.038) and death (HR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.07-3.69; P = 0.030).


CONCLUSIONS
In advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer, non-detectable MASPIN appears to be associated with suboptimally-debulked disease and be an independent predictor of an increased risk of progression and death. Further studies are needed to validate these exploratory findings, determine the molecular mechanism controlling MASPIN expression as well as down-regulation and loss in ovarian cancer, and determine if MASPIN can prevent progression of this disease.
Box 3079, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. secor002@mc.duke.edu
Angeles Alvarez
AA
Secord
Paula S
PS
Lee
Kathleen M
KM
Darcy
Laura J
LJ
Havrilesky
Lisa A
LA
Grace
Jeffrey R
JR
Marks
Andrew
A
Berchuck
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015843:Serpins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000199:Actins; C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin