Limitations of tissue microarrays compared with whole tissue sections in survival analysis.

Tissue microarray (TMA) is a promising technique in the evaluation of immunohistochemical markers in tumors and may be used as an alternative for whole sections. However, only a few studies have correlated a clinical outcome with both TMA and results obtained from whole sections. This study compared immunostaining for Ki-67 and p16 in TMA (3 cores from each specimen) and whole sections of 171 cases of stage III epithelial ovarian cancer with clinical data.

Phase III study of valspodar (PSC 833) combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin compared with paclitaxel and carboplatin alone in patients with stage IV or suboptimally debulked stage III epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal cancer.

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of carboplatin and paclitaxel administered with or without the multidrug resistance modulator valspodar (PSC 833) in untreated patients with advanced ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Seven hundred sixty-two patients with stage IV or suboptimally debulked stage III ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer were randomly assigned to receive either valspodar 5 mg/kg every 6 hours for 12 doses, paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2), and carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 6 (PC-PSC; n = 381) or paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) and carboplatin AUC 6 (PC; n = 381). Time to disease progression (TTP) was the primary end point.

MUC4 is upregulated in ovarian carcinoma effusions and differentiates carcinoma cells from mesothelial cells.

Using gene expression arrays, we recently showed that MUC4 expression is significantly higher in ovarian/primary peritoneal serous carcinoma (OC/PPC) compared to diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma (DMPM). In the present study, we analyzed the anatomic site-related expression of MUC4 in OC/PPC and studied its prognostic role. We additionally studied the ability of MUC4 to differentiate between OC/PPC and reactive mesothelial cells (RMC).

The clinical importance of Ki-67, p16, p14, and p57 expression in patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma.

The present study addressed the impact of p14, p16, p57, and Ki-67 in a large cohort of uniformly treated patients with stage III ovarian cancer in relation to other clinicopathologic variables and prognosis. We immunohistochemically studied 171 primary tumors from previously untreated patients with advanced ovarian carcinomas for expression of Ki-67, p16, p14, and p57. High protein levels of Ki-67 (>10% positive nuclei) were found in 144 cases (84%), p16 (>50% positive nuclei) in 53 cases (31%), p57 (>10% positive nuclei) in 41 cases (24%), and p14 (any positive nuclei) in 19 cases (11%).

The clinical role of phospholipase A2 isoforms in advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma.

Objective: To analyze the expression of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isoforms and its relationship with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and clinical parameters in advanced-stage (FIGO III-IV) ovarian carcinoma.

Methods: Seventy-seven fresh frozen effusions from ovarian carcinoma patients were studied for messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of 10 secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) isoforms (IB, IIA/D/E/F, III, V, X, XII and XIII), the PLA2 receptor (sPLA2R), cytoplasmic PLA2 (cPLA2), PLA2-activating protein (PLAP) and MMP-2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Phosphorylated cPLA2 (p-cPLA2) protein expression was studied in 52 effusions using immunohistochemistry.

The prognostic impact of EphB2/B4 expression on patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Objectives: To analyze expressions of the EphB2 and EphB4 receptors in ovarian carcinomas and explore their clinicopathological correlations and prognostic value.

Methods: 115 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma FIGO IIB to IV were involved. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to examine the expressions of EphB2/B4 receptor mRNA and protein.

Risk grouping in stage IB squamous cell cervical carcinoma.

Objectives: To test the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) prognostic criteria (based on stromal invasion, tumor size and vascular invasion) for early squamous cervical carcinoma (SCC) in an independent population and to evaluate the prognostic value of a simpler model.

Methods: We studied 221 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy for stage IB SCC between 1987 and 1993. Adjuvant treatment consisting of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy was given in case of large tumor size, positive lymph nodes or invasion into the parametria.

The clinical role of the PEA3 transcription factor in ovarian and breast carcinoma in effusions.

Ets transcription factors play a central role in invasion and metastasis through regulation of synthesis of proteolytic enzymes and angiogenic molecules. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of PEA3 in tumor progression of ovarian and breast carcinoma metastatic to effusions, and to evaluate the expression of Ets-2 and Erg in ovarian carcinoma. Ovarian (83 malignant effusions, 102 corresponding solid lesions) and breast (33 malignant effusions, 40 corresponding solid lesions) carcinomas were evaluated for expression of PEA3 using mRNA in situ Hybridization (ISH).

E-cadherin and catenins in early squamous cervical carcinoma.

Objectives: To examine the prognostic significance of the protein expression of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin in early squamous cervical carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: We studied 219 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy at our institution for stage IB SCC between 1987 and 1993. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin was used to examine protein expression.

Effect of the codon 72 polymorphism (c.215G>C, p.Arg72Pro) in combination with somatic sequence variants in the TP53 gene on survival in patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma.

This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency and prognostic impact of TP53 alterations stratified for the TP53 codon 72 polymorphism (c.215G>C, p.Arg72Pro) in a cohort of 109 patients with advanced ovarian carcinomas.

Cyclins and proliferation markers in early squamous cervical carcinoma.

Objectives: To examine the prognostic significance of the protein expression of cyclin E, cyclin A and cyclin D3, and of the proliferation markers Ki-67 and BM28 in early squamous cervical carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: Tissue blocks from 221 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy at our institution for stage IB SCC between 1987 and 1993 were available for this study. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against cyclin E, cyclin A, cyclin D3, Ki-67 and BM28 was used to examine protein expression.

Irofulven (MGI Pharma).

MGI Pharma is developing irofulven, a semi-synthetic compound derived from illudin S, a toxin from the Omphalotus illudens mushroom, for the potential treatment of refractory and relapsed tumors, including ovarian, prostate, hepatocellular, breast, lung and colon cancers. Phase II trials of the compound as a monotherapy or in combination therapies are ongoing for a number of these indications.

Hormonal treatment of endometrial carcinoma.

Endometrial cancer has typically been regarded as a relatively benign disease. However, survival rates for patients with advanced-stage or recurrent disease are very poor and more adequate systemic treatment is certainly needed. Being a tumor that arises from a hormone responsive tissue, endometrial cancer is a logical target for endocrine manipulation.