Detection of pS2 messenger RNA in gynecological cancers.

Estrogen-inducible pS2 mRNA was previously detected in human cancer cell lines the growth of which was sensitive to estrogen. In the present study, the expression of the pS2 gene was analyzed in 111 gynecological carcinomas. The pS2 message was detected in greatest abundance in 6 primary carcinomas of the ovary (6 of 29), 4 of these being mucinous cystadenocarcinomas. A secondary carcinoma of the ovary, and another of the omentum (1 of 4), also contained detectable levels of pS2 mRNA. Weak pS2 mRNA signals were occasionally observed in endometrial (2 of 55) and cervical carcinomas (2 of 33) as well. There was a poor correlation between estrogen receptor and pS2 mRNA in ovarian carcinomas.