Immunohistochemical evaluation of a new epithelial antigen, Ber-EP4, in ovarian cancer: preliminary results

Objective: To assess the immunohistochemical expression of Ber-EP4, a new epithelial antigen in ovarian cancer.

Methods: We studied 25 cases of ovarian cancer in which Ber-EP4, CEA and CA 125 were investigated by an immunohistochemical method. We evaluated the correlations between immunohistochemical positivity and grading, histotype and stage of disease.

Results: CEA was positive in 5 out of 25 cases (20%), CA-125 in 17 out of 25 cases (68%) and Ber-EP4 in 14 out of 25 cases (56%). Ber-EP4 was mainly present in mucinous tumors in comparison to serous tumors (78.6% vs. 50%). Ber-EP4, as well as CA-125, were directly proportional to tumor differentation (70% of positivity in G1 vs 37.5% in G3 for the former and 80% in G1 vs 50% in G3 for the latter, respectively), whereas CEA showed no relevant difference regarding the grading. There were no differences among the three antigens studied with regard to clinical stage.

Conclusions: In our study Ber-EP4 was positive in 14 out of 22 cases (63.6%) of the primary epithelial ovarian cancers studied. The presence of this antigen seems to be related to histotype and grading but not to clinical stage.

Epithelial antigen; Ber-EP4; Ovarian cancer

[1] Taylor K. J., Schwartz P. E.: "Cancer screening in a high risk population: a clinical trial". Ultrasound Med. Biol., 2001, 27, 461.

[2] Woolas R. P., Oram D. H., Jeyarajah A. R., Bast R. C., Jacobs I. J: "Ovarian cancer identified through screening with serum markers but not by pelvic imaging". Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer, 1999, 9, 497.

[3] partridge E. E., Barnes M. N.: "Epithelial ovarian cancer: prevention, diagnosis and treatment". C.A. CancerJ. Clin., 1999, 49, 297.

[4] Van Dalen A., Favier J., Baumgartner L., Hasholzner U., De Bruijn H., Dabbler D. et al.: "Serum levels of CA 125 and TPS during treatment of ovarian cancer". Anticancer Res., 2000, 20, 5107.

[5] Zurawski V. R., Knapp R. C., Einhorn N., Kenemans P., Mortel R., Ohmi K. et al.: "An initial analysis of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with early stage ovarian carcinoma". Gynecol Oneal., 1988,30, 7.

[6] Tuxen M. K., Soletonnos G., Rustin G. J., Nelstrop A. E., Dombernowsky P.: "Biological variation and analytical imprecision of CA 125 in patients with ovarian cancer". Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest., 2000, 60, 713.

[7] Nyvang G. B., Mogensen 0., Bichel P., Jakobsen A.: "Combined prognostic importance of CA 125, histopathologic grade and DNAindex in advanced ovarian cancer". Eur. J. Gynaecol. Oncol., 2000, 21, 569.

[8] Runnebaum I. B., Stickeler E.: "Epidemiological and molecular aspects of ovarian cancer risk". J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol., 2001, 127, 73

[9] Morrow C. P., Curtin J. P.: "Surgery for ovarian neoplasia". In "Gynecologic Cancer Surgery". New York, Churchill Livingstone (ed.), 1996, 627.

[10] Elit L.: "Familial ovarian cancer". Can. Fam. Physician, 2001, 47, 778.

[11] Werness B.A., Eltabbakh G.H.: "Familial ovarian cancer and early ovarian cancer: biologic, pathologic and clinical features". Int. J. Gvnecol. Pathol., 2001, 20, 48.

[12] Gitsch G., Tabery U., Feig! W., Breitenecker G.: "The differential diagnosis of primary peritoneal papillary tumors". Arch. Gynecol Obstet., 1992, 251,139.

[13] Baker P. M., Oliva E., Young R. H., Talerman A., Scully R. E.: "Ovarian mucinous carcinoids including some with a carcinomatous component: a report of 17 cases". Am. J. Surg. Pathol., 2001, 25, 557.

[14] Latza U., Niedobitek G., Schwarting R., Nekarda H., Stein H: "Ber-EP4. New monoclonal antibody which distinguishes epithelia from mesothelia". J. Clin. Pathol., 1990, 43, 213.

[15] Cherchi P. L., Bosincu L., Dessole S., Ruiu G. A., Cossu Rocca P., Capobianco G. et al.: "Immunohistochemical expression of BerEP4, a new epithelial antigen, in endometrial carcinoma: correlation with clinical parameters". Eur. J. Gynaec. Oncol., 1999, 20, 393.

[16] Manjunath A. P., P ratapkumar M., Sujatha K., Vani R.: "Comparison of three risk of malignancy indices in evaluation of pelvic masses". Gynecol. Oncol., 2001, 81, 225.

[17] Davidson B., Risberg B., Kristensen G., Kvalheim G., Emilsen E., Bjamer A. et al.: "Detection of cancer cells in effusions from patients diagnosed with gynaecological malignancies. Evaluation of five epithelial markers". Virchows Arch., 1999, 435, 43.