Analysis of the contribution of immunologically-detectable HER2, steroid receptors and of the “triple-negative” tumor status to disease-free and overall survival of women with epithelial ovarian cancer

• Published in: Acta histochemica 2014-04, Vol.116 (3), p.440-447
• Main Authors: de Toledo, Maria Carolina Szymanski, Sarian, Luis Otavio, Sallum, Luis Felipe, Andrade, Liliana Lucci Angelo, Vassallo, José, de Paiva Silva, Geisilene Russano, Pinto, Glauce Aparecida, Soares, Fernando Augusto, Fonseca, Camila Dal Piccolo Pracchia, Derchain, Sophie F.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Androgen receptor; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; Disease-Free Survival; Estrogen receptor; Estrogen Receptor alpha - metabolism; Estrogen Receptor beta - metabolism; Female; HER2; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial - metabolism; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial - mortality; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial - pathology; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian Neoplasms - metabolism; Ovarian Neoplasms - mortality; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Progesterone receptor; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Androgen - metabolism; Receptors, Progesterone - metabolism; Tissue microarray; Triple negative
• ISSN: 0065-1281; 1618-0372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2013.09.010

We assessed associations between steroid receptors including: estrogen-alpha, estrogen-beta, androgen receptor, progesterone receptor, the HER2 status and triple-negative epithelial ovarian cancer (ERα-/PR-/HER2-; TNEOC) status and survival in women with epithelial ovarian cancer. The study included 152 women with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. The status of steroid receptor and HER2 was determined by immunohistochemistry. Disease-free and overall survival were calculated and compared with steroid receptor and HER2 status as well as clinicopathological features using the Cox Proportional Hazards model. A mean follow-up period of 43.6 months (interquartile range=41.4 months) was achieved where 44% of patients had serous tumor, followed by mucinous (23%), endometrioid (9%), mixed (9%), undifferentiated (8.5%) and clear cell tumors (5.3%). ER-alpha staining was associated with grade II–III tumors. Progesterone receptor staining was positively associated with a Body Mass Index≥25. Androgen receptor positivity was higher in serous tumors. In stand-alone analysis of receptor contribution to survival, estrogen-alpha positivity was associated with greater disease-free survival. However, there was no significant association between steroid receptor expression, HER2 status, or TNEOC status, and overall survival. Although estrogen-alpha, androgen receptor, progesterone receptor and the HER2 status were associated with key clinical features of the women and pathological characteristics of the tumors, these associations were not implicated in survival. Interestingly, women with TNEOC seem to fare the same way as their counterparts with non-TNEOC.