Are DNA ploidy and epidermal growth factor receptor prognostic factors foruntreated ovarian cancer? A prospective study

To identify prognostic factors for untreated ovarian cancer, DNA ploidy, pr oliferative index (P.I.) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expres sion were analyzed in a prospective series of 40 patients with ovarian canc er and 7 patients with borderline malignant ovarian tumor followed up for 5 years or more (median, 77 months). The frequency of aneuploid cells was 53 .8% (21/39) in ovarian cancer and 14.3% (1/7) in borderline malignancy. The re was no significant association between DNA ploidy and the clinicopatholo gic findings, in which aneuploid ovarian cancer was more common among advan ced tumors. The S-phase fraction and P.I. value were higher in the patients with aneuploid tumors (p = 0.076). EGFR expression was detected in 76.9% ( 30/39) of ovarian cancers and 42.9% (3/7) of borderline malignant ovarian t umors, and the mean EGFR level was 5.8 +/- 12.1 (range: 0-49.5) and 28.3 +/ - 71.1 (range: 0-189.4) fmol/mg protein, respectively. There was no correla tion between EGFR expression and DNA ploidy, P.I., and clinicopathologic fi ndings analyzed. The 5-year survival rate in patients with aneuploid tumors was significantly worse in patients with ovarian cancer (P = 0.0165, log-r ank test). No significant relationship was shown between P.I., EGFR express ion, and 5-year survival. Cox multivariate analysis showed that DNA ploidy, P.I., and EGFR expression are not associated with the risk of death (p, = 0.5917, p = 0.9924, and p = 0.6840, respectively), although clinical stage shows a significant relationship (p = 0.0027). Our data showed that DNA plo idy is significantly related to the prognosis by univariate analysis, but D NA ploidy, P.I., and EGFR expression were not independent prognostic factor s for the untreated ovarian cancer.