title: Overexpression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule protein is associated with favorable prognosis in an unselected cohort of ovarian cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic influence of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in an unselected cohort of ovarian cancer (OC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of EpCAM was determined by immunohistochemistry in an unselected cohort of 117 patients with OC. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusted for age, tumor stage, histological grading, histological subtype, postoperative tumor burden and completeness of chemotherapy were performed in order to determine the prognostic influence of EpCAM. The Kaplan-Meier method is used to estimate survival rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariable Cox regression analysis showed that overexpression of EpCAM is associated with favorable prognosis in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.011) and disease-specific survival (DSS) (p = 0.003). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, overexpression of EpCAM retains its significance independent of established prognostic factors for longer PFS [hazard ratios (HR) 0.408, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.197-0.846, p = 0.003] but not for PFS (HR 0.666, 95 % CI 0.366-1.212, p = 0.183). Kaplan-Meier plots demonstrate an influence on 5-year PFS rates (0 vs. 27.6 %, p = 0.048) and DSS rates (11.8 vs. 54.0 %, p = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the hypothesis that the expression of EpCAM is associated with favorable prognosis in OC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany, battist@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Marco Johannes
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cotarelo
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jakobi
authors.forename: Joscha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steetskamp
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sicking
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule
references.citation: Int J Oncol. 2007 Jan;30(1):171-9
references.pmid: 17143526
references.citation: Br J Cancer. 2005 May 9;92(9):1767-72
references.pmid: 15870832
references.citation: Oncogene. 2004 Jul 29;23(34):5748-58
references.pmid: 15195135
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2009 Feb 1;69(3):753-7
references.pmid: 19141643
references.citation: Histochem J. 1998 Oct;30(10):723-9
references.pmid: 9873999
references.citation: Clin Cancer Res. 2004 May 1;10(9):3131-6
references.pmid: 15131054
references.citation: Cell. 1996 Feb 9;84(3):345-57
references.pmid: 8608588
references.citation: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011 Feb;125(3):637-46
references.pmid: 20352488
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2004 Dec 9;351(24):2519-29
references.pmid: 15590954
references.citation: Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2009 Jan;69(1):12-27
references.pmid: 18595727
references.citation: Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Sep 15;14(18):5849-55
references.pmid: 18794096
references.citation: CA Cancer J Clin. 2014 Jan-Feb;64(1):9-29
references.pmid: 24399786
references.citation: Gynecol Oncol. 2006 Nov;103(2):483-8
references.pmid: 16678891
references.citation: Oncogene. 2011 Aug 4;30(31):3468-76
references.pmid: 21399662
references.citation: BMC Cancer. 2006 Jun 23;6:165
references.pmid: 16796747
references.citation: Oncol Rep. 2014 May;31(5):2213-9
references.pmid: 24627004
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2004 Aug 15;64(16):5818-24
references.pmid: 15313925
references.citation: Lancet. 2000 Dec 9;356(9246):1981-2
references.pmid: 11130529
references.citation: J Natl Cancer Inst. 1998 May 6;90(9):691-7
references.pmid: 9586666
references.citation: Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Jul 1;10(13):4427-36
references.pmid: 15240533
references.citation: BMC Cancer. 2013 Jun 14;13:289
references.pmid: 23768049
references.citation: Oncogene. 2007 Jun 7;26(27):3989-97
references.pmid: 17213811
references.citation: Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2013 Jun;23(5):797-802
references.pmid: 23694980
references.citation: Hum Pathol. 2009 May;40(5):693-8
references.pmid: 19157508
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1994 Apr;125(2):437-46
references.pmid: 8163559
references.citation: Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Apr 15;10(8):2659-69
references.pmid: 15102668
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1997 Dec 1;139(5):1337-48
references.pmid: 9382878
references.citation: Histopathology. 2005 Jun;46(6):685-93
references.pmid: 15910600