ABSTRACT
In ovarian cancer, alterations in the extracellular environment are critical for tumor Initiation, progression and intra-peritoneal dissemination. Some markers have been used to study the progression of ovarian tumors, one of them is CD44 which shown to play critical roles in ovarian ameer metastasis. Tumor proliferation is known to be important factor in tumor growth. This can be measured by assessment of expression of MIB-1 protein in the tumor cells. To examine the immunohistochemical expression of CD44 and MIB-1 in a spectrum of serous and mucinous ovarian tumors [benign, borderline and malignant tumors] and to evaluate the correlation between intensity of markers expression with relevant clinicopathological criteria [Age, size, hilaterality, gross picture and stage]. Immunohistochemical staining of 120 samples [65 benign, 10 borderline, 30 malignant and 15 metastatic deposits] of spectrum of serous and mucinous ovarian tumors for CD44 and MIB-1 was performed using tissue microarray [TMA] and statistical analyses was done with SPSS [chi-square test]. In whole tumors, expression of [1] 44 in tumor cells [CD-44-T] was low in 20[80%] and high in 5[20%] of benign tumors, low in [70%] and high in 3[30%] of borderline tumors, and low in 24 [83%] and high in 5[17%] of malignant tumors with no significant association in transition from benign to malignant tumours [P 0.70]. Stromal CD44 [CD-44-S] expression was low in 33[94%] and high in 2[6%] of benign mmors, low in 8[80%] and high in 2[20%] of borderline tumors and low in 23[77%] and high in [23%] of malignant tumors with significant association in transition from benign to borderline to 14[CD44-M] showed reactivity in 9[25%] of benign tumors,5[50%] of borderline tumors and 21[72%] of malignant tumors with high significant association in transition from benign to malignant tumors [P<0.001]. In whole tumors, twenty three specimens [31%] showed high PI. All benign tumors had low PI. High significant association was detected between high PI and transition from benign to borderline to malignant tumors [P<0.001] with significant positive correlation between MIB-1 and CD44-M [P 0.013]. Our findings indicates that stromal and membranous expression of with transition from benign to borderline to malignant tumor, so increase in CD44 may play an important role in tumor progression and can be a target of more effective therapies