MOLECULAR PROFILE OF ADVANCED-STAGE TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE OVARY

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine the molecular profile of adva nced-stage transitional cell carcinoma in terms of immunostaining for p53, epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu, deoxyribonucleic acid index, and S-phase fraction and to analyze the prognostic signifi cance of these markers. STUDY DESIGN: Archival paraffin-embedded tissu e blocks from 29 advanced stage transitional cell carcinomas were obta ined. Selected sections of the primary tumors were immunostained for p 53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and HER-2/neu; deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and S-phase fraction were determined with use of flow cyto metry. Clinical information was abstracted from the medical records. S urvival times were analyzed according to the life-table methods of Kap lan and Meier, and the statistical significance of the Various factors was tested with the log-rank test. The proportional hazards model of Cox was used to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: Positive immunos taining was observed for p53 in 13 cases (45%), for epidermal growth f actor receptor in 14 cases (50%), and for HER-2/neu in 19 cases (65%). Tumors were diploid in 16 cases (55%) and aneuploid in 13 (45%). The S-phase fraction was less than or equal to 15% (mean) in 13 cases (45% ) and >15% in 16 cases (55%). The median survival for the entire group was 52 months. None of the above variables had a significant effect o n survival time. CONCLUSION: Neither immunostaining for p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and HER-2/neu nor deoxyribonucleic acid ploid y nor S-phase fraction allowed us to distinguish transitional cell car cinoma from other more common epithelial ovarian cancers. In addition, no prognostic significance was associated with these biomarkers. A st udy of larger numbers of cases may be more elucidative.