Our results show that mAb show OV-TL3 is the best marker for endometrioid carcinomas and confirmed that mAbs OV632, OC125 and OV-TL3 could be good complementary markers for differentiating malignant and benign lesions in the ovary. The percentage content of all ovarian carcinoma-associated antigens in solid tumors and respective cyst fluid cells was comparable.
The overexpression of two growth factor receptors – epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2 – was evaluated immunohistochemically in malignant and benign ovarian neoplasms, considering the stage of the disease and histology of tumors. The comparison of EGFR and c-erbB-2 reactivity in tissue sections and respective cyst and/or ascitic fluid cells was also performed. c-erbB-2 expression was detected in 44.4% of ovarian carcinomas, and in benign neoplasms there was no evidence of its staining, while EGFR reactivity was found both in malignant (58.7%) and benign (50%) tumors. Significant heterogeneity of staining was observed, however, the relationship between EGFR and c-erbB-2 expression in tissue sections and cyst and/or ascitic fluid cells in individual patients was evident. The expression of both growth factor receptors was not correlated with histopathological subtypes of ovarian neoplasms. The c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was detected more frequently in III/IV than in I/II stages according to the criteria of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the EGFR expression was independent of the clinical advancement of the disease. The coexpression of c-erbB-2 and EGFR was shown in 32% of ovarian carcinomas, and it dominated in cases with FIGO stages III/IV. Our results indicate that the increase of the EGFR expression appears to be associated with early stages of ovarian tumorigenesis, and the enhancement of c-erbB-2 reactivity may cooperate with EGFR activation in the development and progression of ovarian carcinomas.
The estimation of precise cytomorphologic criteria for cell forms in tumor effusions facilitated the cytologic diagnosis of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma. The possibility to concentrate poorly differentiated, frankly malignant cell subsets in low densities could significantly improve the diagnosis of tumor effusions.
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