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Loss of oestrogen receptor β, high PCNA and p53 expression and aneuploidy as markers of worse prognosis in ovarian granulosa cell tumours
Author(s) -
Staibano S,
Franco R,
Mezza E,
Chieffi P,
Sinisi A,
Pasquali D,
Errico M E,
Nappi C,
Tremolaterra F,
Somma P,
Mansueto G,
De Rosa G
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2559.2003.01706.x
Subject(s) - proliferating cell nuclear antigen , immunohistochemistry , aneuploidy , biology , oncology , medicine , pathology , cancer research , biochemistry , chromosome , gene
Aims: Ovarian granulosa cell tumour (OGCT) is a sex‐cord stromal tumour with a general trend toward late relapse and/or metastasis. However, mortality rate corrected for long‐term follow‐up shows that about 50% of patients die within 20 years of diagnosis. Classical clinicopathological parameters are unable to predict the biological behaviour of OGCT. The involvement of a recently characterized subtype of oestrogen receptor, ERβ, in ovarian carcinogenesis has been hypothesized. Methods and results: We examined by immunohistochemistry the expression of ERβ, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and p53 in a selected series of 30 OGCT, to evaluate their role in the prognostic evaluation of this tumour. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded sections. Results were compared with the DNA‐ploidy of the tumours (evaluated by image analysis) and with the follow‐up data of the patients. Conclusions: Loss of ERβ expression, high PCNA expression and aneuploidy, characterized a subgroup of OGCT with a worse outcome. The identification of a high‐risk subclass of OGCT may be of primary importance in addressing appropriate therapeutic strategies, offering the chance to prevent relapses and metastases by using adjunctive, specifically targetted, more aggressive therapies.