title: Expression of serum human epididymal secretory protein E4 at low grade and high grade serous carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value of serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) in differential diagnosis of patients with low-grade serous (LGSC) and high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) serous ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  LGSC and HGSC serous ovarian cancer were diagnosed by the two-tier grade system, serum levels of HE4 and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) were measured by ELISA and radioisotope method, respectively in 60 serous ovarian cancer patients. HE4 and TP53 protein in cancer tissue were measured by immunohistochemical method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference in density of HE4 and TP53 protein was significant between LGSC and HGSC tissue, while serum CA125 did not show significant difference between different serum samples. There was significant difference in serum HE4 levels between LGSC and HGSC, and the result was different within FIGO (I+II) stage, suggesting HE4 was not a reliable biomarker for the discrimination between LGSC and HGSC. HE4 had potential as a biomarker for the discrimination between LGSC and HGSC but the role in early diagnosis was limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HE4 may be a reliable marker for differential diagnosis of LGSC and HGSC. But its role in early diagnosis of LGSC and HGSC need to be confirmed from the perspective of two-tier grade system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17. Yongwaizheng Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. yafeiz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ya-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Lin-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhen-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing-Shui
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000097:blood; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C451759:MUC16 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; C569698:WFDC2 protein, human