Open AccessPrognostic value of kallikrein‐related peptidase 6 protein expression levels in advanced ovarian cancer evaluated by automated quantitative analysis (AQUA)
Author(s) -
Kountourakis Panteleimon,
Psyrri Amanda,
Scorilas Andreas,
Camp Robert,
Markakis Sonia,
Kowalski Diane,
Diamandis Eleftherios P.,
Dimopoulos Meletios A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2008.00942.x
Subject(s) - kallikrein , ovarian cancer , medicine , endocrinology , cancer , oncology , biology , enzyme , biochemistry
Kallikrein‐related peptidases, a subgroup of the serine protease enzyme family, are considered important prognostic biomarkers in cancer. In the present study, we sought to determine the prognostic value of kallikrein‐related peptidase 6 (KLK6) in ovarian cancer using a novel method of compartmentalized in situ protein analysis. A tissue array composed of 150 advanced stage ovarian cancers, uniformly treated with surgical debulking followed by platinum‐paclitaxel combination chemotherapy, was constructed. For evaluation of KLK6 protein expression, we used an immunofluorescence‐based method of automated in situ quantitative measurement of protein analysis (AQUA). Mean follow‐up time of the cohort was 34.35 months. One hundred and thirty‐five of 150 cases had sufficient tissue for AQUA analysis. In univariate survival analysis, low tumor KLK6 expression was associated with better outcome for overall survival over 3 years ( P = 0.019). There was no association between tumor KLK6 expression and progression‐free survival ( P = 0.128). In multivariate survival analysis, adjusting for well‐characterized prognostic variables, low tumor KLK6 expression level was one of the most significant predictor variable for overall survival (95% confidence interval, 1.19–3.50; P = 0.009). High tumor KLK6 protein expression is associated with inferior patient outcome in ovarian cancer. KLK6 may represent a promising disease biomarker and therapeutic target in ovarian cancer. ( Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 2224–2229)