Overexpression of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule is associated with a more favorable prognosis and response to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.
10.3802/jgo.2014.25.3.221
- Author:
Hannah WOOPEN
1
;
Klaus PIETZNER
;
Rolf RICHTER
;
Christina FOTOPOULOU
;
Thomas JOENS
;
Elena Ioana BRAICU
;
Hakan MELLSTEDT
;
Sven MAHNER
;
Horst LINDHOFER
;
Silvia DARB-ESFAHANI
;
Carsten DENKERT
;
Jalid SEHOULI
Author Information
1. Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Charite-University Medicine of Berlin, Berlin, Germany. jalid.sehouli@charite.de
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Evaluation Studies ; Multicenter Study
- Keywords:
Epithelial cell adhesion molecule;
Ovarian neoplasms;
Survival
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Antigens, Neoplasm/*metabolism;
Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use;
Carboplatin/therapeutic use;
Cell Adhesion Molecules/*metabolism;
Female;
Humans;
Kaplan-Meier Estimate;
Middle Aged;
Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism;
Neoplasm Staging;
Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology;
Organoplatinum Compounds/*therapeutic use;
Ovarian Neoplasms/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology;
Paclitaxel/therapeutic use;
Prognosis;
Tissue Banks;
Treatment Outcome;
Tumor Markers, Biological/*metabolism
- From:Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
2014;25(3):221-228
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) has experienced a renaissance lately as a binding site for targeted therapy as well as a prognostic marker in epithelial malignancies. Aim of this study was to study EpCAM as a potential prognostic marker in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: EpCAM expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded primary EOC-tissue samples. EpCAM overexpression was defined as an expression of EpCAM of 76% to 100%. Tissue samples and clinical data were systematically collected within the international and multicenter "Tumorbank Ovarian Cancer" network. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients, diagnosed with EOC between 1994 and 2009, were included in the study (median age, 56 years; range, 31 to 86 years). The majority of the patients (81.1%) presented with an advanced stage International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) III/IV disease. Histology was of the serous type in 41 patients (55.4%), endometrioid in 19 (25.6%), and mucinous in 14 (19%). EpCAM was overexpressed in 87.7%. Serous tumors overexpressed EpCAM significantly more often than mucinous tumors (87.8% vs. 78.6%, p=0.045); while no significant difference was noted between the other histological subgroups. EpCAM overexpression was significantly associated with a better progression free survival and higher response rates to platinum based chemotherapy (p=0.040 and p=0.048, respectively). EpCAM was identified as an independent prognostic marker for overall survival (p=0.022). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate a significant association of EpCAM overexpression with a more favorable survival in EOC-patients. Serous cancers showed a significant EpCAM overexpression compared to mucinous types. Larger multicenter analyses are warranted to confirm these findings.
