Synuclein-γ (SNCG) expression in ovarian cancer is associated with high-risk clinicopathologic disease.
BACKGROUND
Synuclein gamma (SNCG) expression is associated with advanced disease and chemoresistance in multiple solid tumors. Our goal was to determine if SNCG protein expression in ovarian cancer was correlated with clinicopathologic variables and patient outcomes.


METHODS
Tissue microarrays from primary tumors of 357 ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer patients, who underwent primary surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1995 and 2007, were immunohistochemically stained for SNCG. A pathologist blinded to patient data scored tumors as positive if ≥10 % of the sample stained for SNCG. Medical records were reviewed for clinicopathologic and demographic variables. Between the positive and negative groups, Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the median ages and Fisher's exact test was used to compare groups in categorical variables. Cox proportional hazard models examined associations between SNCG and overall and progression-free survival.


RESULTS
The median follow-up was 36 months, median overall survival was 39 months, and median progression-free survival was 18 months. SNCG presence was associated with clinical variables of serous histology, grade 3 disease, suboptimal debulking, ascites at surgery, FIGO stage III-IV cancer, or initial CA-125 level >485. There was no significant difference in overall survival (HR 1.06 95 % CI 0.81-1.39 P 0.69) or progression-free survival (HR 1.16 95 % CI 0.89-1.50 P 0.28) for patients with or without SNCG expression.


CONCLUSIONS
SNCG expression in ovarian cancer is frequent in patients with high-risk features, but it does not correlate with chemotherapy response, overall survival, or progression-free survival.
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Anna
A
Strohl
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Kristina
K
Mori
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA.
Stacey
S
Akers
Department of Pathology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA.
Wiam
W
Bshara
Gynecologic Oncology Program, Cadence Physician Group, Warrenville, USA.
Barbara
B
Buttin
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA.
Peter J
PJ
Frederick
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Irene B
IB
Helenowski
Department of Pathology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA.
Carl D
CD
Morrison
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA.
Kunle
K
Odunsi
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Julian C
JC
Schink
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Denise M
DM
Scholtens
Department of Pathology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 251 East Huron Street, Feinberg 7-334, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. jianjun-wei@northwestern.edu.|Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Superior Street, 4-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. jianjun-wei@northwestern.edu.
Jian-Jun
JJ
Wei
Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Superior Street, 4-117, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. j-kim4@northwestern.edu.
J Julie
JJ
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D051845:gamma-Synuclein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051845:gamma-Synuclein
High risk disease; Ovarian cancer; Synuclein gamma