Antimetastasis gene expression and numerical chromosomal abnormalities of chromosomes 1 & 17 in serous tumours of the ovary

Objective(s): The aim of this study was to examine the expression of the an timetastasis gene nm23 and numerical changes on chromosome 1 and 17 in ovar ian tumours. Methods: In this study 20 serous cystadenocarcinomas, ten borderline and fi ve benign tumours were analysed for expression of the nm23 antimetastasis g ene by immunohistochemistry and for numerical chromosomal abnormalities of chromosomes I and 17 by interphase cytogenetics. Results: Strong intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity with the antimetastasis g ene was observed in late stage carcinomas but not in benign or borderline t umours or in lymph node metastases. Numerical abnormalities were only obser ved in carcinomas. Conclusion(s): These sets of data are consistent with the majority of benig n and borderline tumours lacking invasive potential. Odds Ratio (OR) assess ment indicates that the presence of numerical aberrations correlates with i mmunopositivity.