title: Expression of adhesion molecules and the proliferative activity of carcinosarcoma of the ovary.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To clarify the mechanism underlying the formation of a sarcomatous component of ovarian carcinosarcoma, we investigated the expression of adhesion molecules and the proliferative activity of carcinosarcomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We immunohistochemically examined the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, and the Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67 LI) in six carcinosarcomas containing endometrioid carcinoma as a carcinomatous component.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sarcomatous components of the carcinosarcomas did not express E-cadherin or β-catenin. All carcinomatous components expressed these molecules but the expression was reduced compared to that in endometrioid ovarian carcinomas. In five of the six carcinosarcomas, the Ki-67 LI of the sarcomatous component was less than that of the carcinomatous component.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that a carcinomatous component transforms more easily than an ordinary endometrioid carcinoma from the viewpoint of the cell adhesion, and cells in a carcinomatous component continuously transform into sarcomatous cells during the growth of carcinosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan Department of Pathology, Steel Memorial Hirohata Hospital, Hyogo, Japan hihirano@toneyama.go.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kizaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Steel Memorial Hirohata Hospital, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamanegi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakasho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D014746:Vimentin; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: Carcinosarcoma; E-cadherin; Ki-67; ovary; β-catenin