Predictive and prognostic values of stem cell markers in different ovarian cancer phenotypes

• Grant number: 12/06855-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2012
• End date: July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Luís Otávio Zanatta Sarian
• Grantee: Camila Dal Piccolo Pracchia Fonseca
• Host Institution: Centro de Atenção Integral à Saúde da Mulher (CAISM). Hospital da Mulher Professor Doutor José Aristodemo Pinotti. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This Project is part of a research line addressing tumor marker expression in a variety of breast and gynecologic neoplasms. In this study, we will assess markers in ovarian tumors. Ovarian carcinomas comprise a vast amalgam of histological types: serous, mucinous, endometrioid, clear cells, transitional, mixed and undifferentiated. The differential expression of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) receptors and HER-2 defines the molecular subtypes, which in turn may help identify appropriate therapeutic options. The CD24 and CD44, among other markers such as WT1 and ² cathenin may display specific patterns of expression. The objectives of the present study are 1) to assess the expression of ER and PR in the various histological types, borderline tumors and ovarian carcinoma and 2) to examine the expression of HER-2, CD24, CD44, WT1 e ² cathenin as related to disease-free and overall survival. Subjects and methods: the research group already has paraffin blocks obtained from 210 women who harbored borderline tumors and ovarian carcinoma. Next, the research group prepared duplicate tissue microarray (TMA) blocks from those paraffin blocks. The present study will utilize the TMA blocks to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of ER, PR, HER-2, CD24, CD44, Ki67, WT1 and ² cathenin. HER-2 assessment will also be performed with in situ fluorescence (FISH). Statistical analysis: a logistic regression model will be fit, adjusted for the pathological categories, in order to assess the relation between the histological/molecular types of ovarian carcinoma with the expression of the tumor markers. A generalized linear model, also adjusted for the pathological categories, will be used to assess the relations between the expression of the different markers. A Cox proportional hazards multivariate model will be used to assess the relation between the expression of the tumor markers with disease-free and overall survival. (AU)