Abstracts » Health

Oestrogen and progesterone receptor content as a prognostic factor in advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Article Abstract:

Receptors are the cell proteins to which hormones bind and which then lead to activation of hormone-specific cellular processes. The presence of receptors for estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) has been predictive of survival in breast and endometrial (uterine lining) cancers. However, studies of the survival of patients with ovarian cancer disagree as to whether ER or PR content is related to outcome. The presence of ER and PR in ovarian cancers from 179 patients was evaluated with respect to patient outcome. The patients were more uniform than those in other studies in that they all had stage III or IV (most serious) cancers, which may have made similarities among the group more appreciable. Response to chemotherapy correlated significantly with PR content. The most relevant factors relating to increased survival were differentiation (specialization, a function of normal cells) of tumor cells, patient age under 50 years old, residual (remaining after surgery) tumor size under two centimeters, and PR presence in tumor cells. In addition, the presence of ascites (fluid accumulation in abdominal cavity) was suggestive of poor survival. The association of ER content with increased survival was not significant. The study suggests that PR content may be associated with a low tumor growth rate. More research is needed on the relationship between progesterone receptor content and the biology of ovarian tumor cells. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Measurement, Hormone receptors

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Prognostic factors for survival in Stage I epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Article Abstract:

Knowledge about the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer is limited by the fact that only 25 percent of these cancers are in an early stage at the time of diagnosis. In order to determine which features of a case are the most important in arriving at an accurate prognosis and an appropriate choice of treatments, 204 patient with Stage I epithelial ovarian carcinoma were retrospectively evaluated. Factors such as age and whether the cancer occurred on one or both sides of the body were found to have no influence on the outcome. The only factors that were found to have a significant impact on outcome were the histologic grade of the cancer and the type of surgery that was performed. On this basis, the authors suggest that the unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy be abandoned, since the procedure reduced five-year survival from 84 to 62 percent. (This procedure removes the uterine tube and the ovary from one side only.) The results of the study also suggest that the histologic grade of the ovarian cancer is an important piece of information that must be considered when designing trials to test new treatment protocols. Clinically important results might be missed if all patients were grouped without consideration of the grade of their tumor. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Ovariectomy

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CA 125 as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

Article Abstract:

CA 125 is a tumor marker found in the blood of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Patients having a high CA 125 before surgery, followed by two cycles of chemotherapy become 'marker negative' that is, have lower levels of CA 125. It is not known whether the absence of the CA 125 tumor marker after three months is the result of surgery or chemotherapy. Marker status was determined before surgery and three months after surgery to determine whether or not it can predict survival. The prognostic value of CA 125 was compared with factors already used to determine prognosis, such as the stage of the cancer, the histological grade of the cancer by microscopic analysis, and the size of the tumor. Patients who had not become CA 125 negative three months after surgery, were 3.1 times more likely to die than patients with negative CA 125 results. This was independent of other prognostic factors. Patients with positive levels of CA 125 after surgery can have chemotherapeutic regimes intensified. CA 125 determinants can be used to identify high risk patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Usage, Tumors, Tumor markers

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