title: Prevalence of epithelial ovarian cancer stem cells correlates with recurrence in early-stage ovarian cancer.
abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer stem cells (EOC stem cells) have been associated with recurrence and chemoresistance. CD44 and CK18 are highly expressed in cancer stem cells and function as tools for their identification and characterization. We investigated the association between the number of CD44+ EOC stem cells in ovarian cancer tumors and progression-free survival. EOC stem cells exist as clusters located close to the stroma forming the cancer stem cell "niche". 17.1% of the samples reveled high number of CD44+ EOC stem cells (>20% positive cells). In addition, the number of CD44+ EOC stem cells was significantly higher in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer (FIGO I/II), and it was associated with shorter progression-free survival (P = 0.026). This study suggests that quantification of the number of EOC stem cells in the tumor can be used as a predictor of disease and could be applied for treatment selection in early-stage ovarian cancer.
authors: Department of Oncology, Vejle Hospital, Kabbeltoft 25, 7100 Vejle, Denmark.
authors: Karina Dahl
authors: KD
authors: Steffensen
authors: Ayesha B
authors: AB
authors: Alvero
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Waldstrøm
authors: Pei
authors: P
authors: Hui
authors: Jennie C
authors: JC
authors: Holmberg
authors: Dan-Arin
authors: DA
authors: Silasi
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Jakobsen
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Rutherford
authors: Gil
authors: G
authors: Mor