Quantification of angiogenesis by the Chalkley method and its prognostic significance in epithelial ovarian cancer.

作者信息

Suhonen Kirsi A, Anttila Maarit A, Sillanpää Sari M, Hämäläinen Kirsi M, Saarikoski Seppo V, Juhola Matti, Kosma Veli-Matti

机构信息

Institute of Clinical Medicine, Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Kuopio and Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland.

出版信息

Eur J Cancer. 2007 May;43(8):1300-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2007.03.007. Epub 2007 Apr 19.

DOI:10.1016/j.ejca.2007.03.007

PMID:17448653

Abstract

AIM

The aim of the present study was to clarify prognostic role of angiogenesis in epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Quantification of angiogenesis was performed by the Chalkley method after immunostaining of 175 epithelial ovarian cancer specimens with an antibody against CD34.

RESULTS

The Chalkley count was categorised into two groups according to the median value: low <8 or high > or =8. The low Chalkley count correlated significantly with serous and clear cell histological subtype of the tumour (p<0.0005), whereas there existed no association with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage, histological grade, presence of primary residual tumour, age at diagnosis, or chemotherapy response. In univariate analysis, the high Chalkley count predicted poor overall survival in the subgroup of patients with FIGO stages III-IV tumours (p=0.007) but not in the entire study cohort. However, in multivariate analysis, the Chalkley count was found to be an independent predictor of death from ovarian cancer in the entire study cohort (p=0.044, RR=1.50, 95% CI 1.01-2.21) as well as in the subgroup of FIGO stages III-IV tumours (p=0.046, RR=1.58, 95% CI 1.01-2.46) together with the presence of primary residual tumour (p<0.0005, RR=5.10, 95% CI 3.02-8.62, and p=0.002, RR=4.28, 95% CI 1.34-13.73, respectively).