title: Prevalence and clinical significance of mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation (p-mTOR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in clear cell carcinoma of the ovary.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the prevalence of mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation (p-mTOR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and any correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis in ovarian clear cell carcinoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy four paraffin-embedded specimens of such carcinomas frompatients who underwent surgery, received adjuvant chemotherapy and were followed up at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital during January 2002 to December 2008 were stained with rabbit monoclonal IgG p-mTOR and rabbit polyclonal IgG VEGF using immunohistochemical methods. Medical records were reviewed and clinical variables were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of positive p-mTOR in ovarian clear cell carcinoma was 87.9% and significantly higher in advance-stage than early-stage patients (100% versus 83.6%, P<0.05). Two-year disease free survival and 2-year overall survival in patients with positive p-mTOR expression were 60% and 69.2% with no differences from patients with negative p-mTOR expression (p>0.05). The prevalence of VEGF expression was 63.5% and significantly higher in chemo-sensitive than chemo-resistant patients (70.7% versus 37.5%, P<0.05). Two-year disease free survival and 2-year overall survival in patients with VEGF expression were 72.3% and 83% respectively which were significantly different from patients with negative VEGF expression (p<0.05 ).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  p-mTOR expression in ovarian clear cell carcinoma was significantly correlated with the stage of disease. VEGF expression was significantly correlated with chemosensitivity, and survival. Further studies of related targeted therapy might be promising.
authors: Gynecologic Oncology Division, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. niponkhe@yahoo.com
authors: Nipon
authors: N
authors: Khemapech
authors: Sunaree
authors: S
authors: Pitchaiprasert
authors: Surang
authors: S
authors: Triratanachat
mesh_terms: D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases