The immunohistochemical study on Ki-67 Expression in epithelial ovarian carcinomas / 대한산부인과학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The study was to evaluate the biological significance of Ki-67 expression in common epithelial ovarian carcinomas. We investigated the correlation between Ki-67 expression and clinicopathological parameters. METHODS: One hundred patients with epithelial ovarian carcinomas stage I-IV treated at Department of Obstertrics and Gynecology, Korea University Hospital from January 1994 to December 2004 were used as study group. We determined expression of Ki-67 by immunohistochemistry using MIB-1 monoclonal antibody reactivity. RESULTS: Ki-67 overexpression was higher in high stage (III-IV) than low stage (I-II) (P<0.013). Ki-67 overexpression was higher in serous cystadenocarcinoma (76.3%) than mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (53.6%), endometrioid carcinoma (54.5%) and clear cell carcinoma (58.3%) but it was not statistically significant (P<0.191). Ki-67 expression was higher in high grade but it was not statistically significant (P<0.096). Ki-67 overexpression was not correlated with serum CA-125 level (P<0.172). Overall survival revealed significant survival difference between patients whose tumor showed Ki-67 overexpressions compared with remaining patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ki-67 overexpressions was a poor prognostic indicator in epithelial ovarian carcinomas.