Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic tumors because in most of the cases (75%), the disease is diagnosed in advanced stages. Screening methods are not available since the disease is rare, and the tested methods, such as ultrasound and CA125, were not able to decrease the mortality rate for this type of cancer. This article discusses the main risk factors for ovarian cancer, and the potential clinical and surgical strategies for the prevention of this disease.
The aims of the study were to compare the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its soluble type I (sTNF-R1) and type II (sTNF-R2) receptors detected in intracystic liquid and serum from benign and malignant ovarian neoplasms and to relate them to prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer. The patients were divided into benign ovarian neoplasms (n = 46) and malignant ovarian neoplasms (n = 17). The serum and intracystic samples were collected before and during surgery for ovarian cyst, respectively. The levels of TNF-α, sTNF-R1, and sTNF-R2 were measured using ELISA. Results were compared with the Mann-Whitney test. Concentration of sTNF-R2 in the intracystic samples collected from the malignant neoplasia was significantly higher than that of the benign neoplasias (p = 0.02). Higher intracystic levels of sTNF-R2 exhibited a significant association with tumor differentiation grades 2 and 3 (p = 0.0087). There was no statistical significance in relation to serum levels. Tumor microenvironment levels of sTNF-R2 may represent a factor of poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer.
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