Methylation profile in benign, borderline and malignant ovarian tumors.
OBJECTIVE
Promoter hypermethylation is a common phenomenon in neoplasm. The aims of this study were (a) to compare the methylation profiles in different types of ovarian tumors and (b) to determine the possible relationship between the methylation status and different clinicopathologic characteristics.


METHODS
We examined the promoter methylation status of 9 tumor suppressor genes (RARbeta2, TMS1, RIZ1, P15, P16, PTEN, MINT31, APC and HIC1) in 89 ovarian cancers, 16 borderline ovarian tumors, 19 benign ovarian tumors, 16 normal ovarian tissue and 5 ovarian cancer cell lines. The methylation status was examined with respect to clinicopathologic characteristics of the ovarian cancer patients.


RESULTS
Methylation indices for ovarian cancer, borderline ovarian tumor, benign ovarian tumor, normal ovarian tissue and ovarian cancer cell lines were 28.8, 20.1, 10.5, 11.8 and 42.2%, respectively. It was significantly higher in ovarian cancer, borderline ovarian tumor and ovarian cancer cell lines (X (2) test, P < 0.001, P = 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) than benign or normal ovarian tissues. In ovarian cancer, concurrent methylation of at least two genes (CM2) was associated with early stage disease (X (2) test, P = 0.035) and less recurrence (X (2) test, P = 0.020). When the methylation statuses of the nine genes as well as CM2 were included in multivariate Cox Regression analysis, CM2 was the only independent predictor for survival (P = 0.013).


CONCLUSIONS
CM2 was an independent predictor for survival in ovarian cancer.
Tam
K F
KF
Gynaecologic Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 102, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. tamkfa@netvigator.com
Liu
V W S
VW
Liu
S S
SS
Tsang
P C K
PC
Cheung
A N Y
AN
Yip
A M W
AM
Ngan
H Y S
HY
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis