Publication: Clinicopathological study of metallothionein immunohistochemical expression, in benign, borderline and malignant ovarian epithelial tumors
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Date
2006
Authors
Zagorianakou, N. ; Stefanou, D. ; Makrydimas, G. ; Zagorianakou, P. ; Briasoulis, E. ; Karavasilis, V. ; Pavlidis, N. ; Agnantis, N.J.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of
cystein-rich metal-binding proteins, which are expressed
in normal cells during fetal and postnatal life but also in
a variety of human neoplasms. MT expression in human
tumors has been linked to resistance to anticancer drugs
and differentiation and progression in some types of
tumors. This study examined the immunohistochemical
expression of MTs in benign, borderline and malignant
tumors of ovarian surface epithelium and the possible
correlations with clinicopathological parameters and
survival. A total of 87 cases with diagnosis of ovarian
surface epithelial tumors were included. Specifically, 21
cases of benign cystadenomas (11 serous and 10
mucinous), 14 borderline (low malignant potential
tumors, 8 mucinous and 6 serous) and 52 cases of
ovarian cancer were analysed.
Immunohistochemical expression of MT (cut-off
level >10% of tumor cells) was clearly associated with
malignancy. A statistically significant correlation was
found between the expression of MT in cancer cases and
benign tumors (p<0.0001) and cancer cases and
borderline tumors p= 0.003. In cancer cases a difference
was observed between grade I and III (p=0.002). There
was no correlation of MT overexpression with survival
in the small number of ovarian carcinoma patients where
it was analysed. MT constitutes a marker that
characterizes aggressiveness and a high malignant potential in ovarian epithelial tumors. In diagnostic
problems MT may help distinguish between benign,
borderline and malignant tumors.
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