title: Detection of soluble EpCAM (sEpCAM) in malignant ascites predicts poor overall survival in patients treated with catumaxomab.
abstract: EpCAM is an attractive target for cancer therapy and the EpCAM-specific antibody catumaxomab has been used for intraperitoneal treatment of EpCAM-positive cancer patients with malignant ascites. New prognostic markers are necessary to select patients that mostly benefit from catumaxomab. Recent data showed that soluble EpCAM (sEpCAM) is capable to block the effect of catumaxomab in vitro. This exploratory retrospective analysis was performed on archived ascites samples to evaluate the predictive role of sEpCAM in catumaxomab-treated patients. Sixty-six catumaxomab-treated patients with an available archived ascites sample were included in this study and tested for sEpCAM by sandwich ELISA. All probes were sampled before treatment start and all patients received at least one catumaxomab infusion. Overall survival, puncture-free survival and time to next puncture were compared between sEpCAM-positive and -negative patients. We detected sEpCAM in ascites samples of 9 patients (13.6%). These patients showed a significantly shorter overall survival. The prognostic significance of sEpCAM in ascites was particularly strong in patients with ovarian cancer. Puncture-free survival and time to next puncture were not significantly different between sEpCAM-positive and -negative patients. We propose sEpCAM in malignant ascites as a potential predictive marker in cancer patients treated with catumaxomab. Prospective studies with larger patients samples are urgently needed to confirm these findings and studies testing dose-intensified catumaxomab in patients with sEpCAM-positive ascites should be envisaged.
authors: Department of Haematology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.|Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.|Oncotyrol - Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Seeber
authors: European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ioana
authors: I
authors: Braicu
authors: Department of Haematology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.|Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.|Oncotyrol - Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Gerold
authors: G
authors: Untergasser
authors: European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Mani
authors: M
authors: Nassir
authors: Department of Haematology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.|Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.|Oncotyrol - Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria.|Haemato-Oncological Day Hospital, Hospital of Merano, Merano, Italy.
authors: Dominic
authors: D
authors: Fong
authors: Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCSS "Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori", Milan, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Botta
authors: Department of Haematology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Guenther
authors: G
authors: Gastl
authors: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Fiegl
authors: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Zeimet
authors: European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Jalid
authors: J
authors: Sehouli
authors: Department of Haematology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.|Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.|Oncotyrol - Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria.|Haemato-Oncological Day Hospital, Hospital of Merano, Merano, Italy.
authors: Gilbert
authors: G
authors: Spizzo
mesh_terms: D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D001201:Ascites / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012995:Solubility; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; C522419:catumaxomab
keywords: EpCAM; ascites; catumaxomab; ovarian cancer; soluble EpCAM