Expression of ras oncogene p21 protein in normal and neoplastic ovarian tissues: Correlation with histopathologic features and receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and epidermal growth factor

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the biologic significance of p21 expression in normal and neoplastic ovarian tissues. Study design: Western blotting analysis of p21/ras oncoprotein was conducted in a group of 14 normal and cystic ovaries, six benign tumors, 42 primary ovarian cancers, and 15 omental metastases. Results: Levels of p21 were similar in normal and cystic ovaries and in benign tumors, whereas they were significantly higher in malignant tumors than in control tissues (median 1.91, range 0.12 to 5.00 vs median 1.03, range 0.32 to 2.20; p = 0.023) and in omental metastases than in primary ovarian carcinomas (median 3.05, range 0.55 to 5.72 vs median 1.97, range 0.1 2 to 5.00; p = 0.14). We found no correlation between p21 expression and histopathologic or clinical characteristics. Estrogen receptor-positive and progesterone receptor-positive tumors expressed higher p21 levels than did estrogen receptor-negative and progesterone receptor-negative tumors (p < 0.05), but no correlation with epidermal growth factor receptor status was found. In the univariate analysis of survival p21 positivity showed a negative prognostic value. Conclusion: The enhancement of p21 protein is associated in the ovarian tissue with the malignant phenotype and the acquisition of metastatic potential

NM23 in ovarian cancer: Correlation with clinicopathological and biochemical parameters

The nm23 gene, originally identified by differential hybridization between two murine melanoma cell lines endowed with different metastatic potential, has been reported to play a metastasis suppressor function in different experimentale models. Several studies have focused on the favorable clinical significance of nm23 overexpression as a metastasis suppessor marker in breast, prostate, and gastric cancer, although conflicting data have been reported. In our laboratory, the immunohistochemical expression of nm23-H1 has been Investigated in a series of 106 primary human ovarian carcinomas in order to determine its possible association with clinicopatholoigcla characteristics and epidermal growth factors receptor (EGFR)