Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in borderline ovarian tumors: an immunohistochemical study.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in epithelial borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) by immunohistochemistry with correlation to clinicopathologic variables. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 62 borderline ovarian tumors (47 mucinous, 14 serous, and 1 clear cell) and 12 epthelial ovarian carcinomas were immunostained with antibodies to hTERT. The intensity and quantity of the immunostaining was determined and analyzed with clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: hTERT expression was detected in 48.4% of BOT and all cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. In immunoreactive BOT 50% of cases were scored as high expression. Serous BOT had the highest rate of hTERT expression. There was no significant statistical difference of hTERT immunoreactivity between histologic types of BOT. No hTERT immunoreactivity was observed in the benign parts of the same slides of each immunoreactive case. hTERT immunoreactivity was positively correlated with FIGO stage (p = 0.04), but not with other variables. The mean follow-up time of BOT cases was 81.63 months and no recurrence or death was noted. CONCLUSION: hTERT expression was found in half of BOT and all of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. High hTERT expression was associated with FIGO stage.