[Overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncogene in primary ovarian cancers: incidence and prognostic significance in 243 patients]

In ovarian cancers, no valuable prognostic factors are available so far for predicting biological behaviour and clinical outcome. During the last years, overexpression of c-erbB-2-oncogene has been reported to be a prognostic factor in various human carcinomas. Its prognostic value in ovarian cancer is still a matter of controversy. The records and histological specimens of 243 patients with primary ovarian cancer were reviewed. Overexpression of c-erbB-2-oncogene encoded transmembrane protein p185 was determined immunohistochemically using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Of 243 investigated tumours, 45 (19%) were positive. We examined the relationship between p185 and clinical stage, histological type, grading and prognosis. p185 overexpression differs within the histological subtypes of tumours. No correlation was found between p185 overexpression and stage or histological grade. The follow-up data demonstrate that patients with positive staining for p185 have a significantly worse prognosis (p = 0.001) than those with negative staining. These results suggest that overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncogene is associated with higher biological aggressiveness and unfavourable course of disease.