High insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) gene expression is an independent predictor of poor survival for patients with advanced stage serous epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy, yet its molecular etiology remains poorly understood. Evidence is accumulating to support a role for the insulin-like growth factor family in human carcinogenesis, and recently using microarray expression analysis, we demonstrated over-expression of the insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) gene in advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancers. The purpose of the current study is to further elucidate the role of the IGF-2 gene in ovarian cancer development and progression.

METHODS:

Relative expression of IGF-2 was measured in 109 epithelial ovarian cancers and eight normal ovarian surface epithelial (NOSE) samples, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Associations with clinicopathological parameters were examined.

RESULTS:

Expression of the IGF-2 gene was more than 300-fold higher in ovarian cancers compared with normal ovarian surface epithelium samples (P <0.001). High IGF-2 expression was associated with advanced stage disease at diagnosis (P <0.001), high-grade cancers (P <0.05) and sub-optimal surgical cytoreduction (P = 0.08). In multivariate analysis, relative IGF-2 expression was an independent predictor of poor survival.

CONCLUSIONS:

Expression of the IGF-2 gene is significantly higher in ovarian cancers relative to normal ovarian surface epithelium. Further, high IGF-2 gene expression is associated with high grade, advanced stage disease, and is an independent predictor of poor survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. As such, IGF-2 is a molecular marker and potential therapeutic target for the most aggressive epithelial ovarian cancers.

• Authors: Robyn A Sayer, Johnathan M Lancaster, Jennifer Pittman, Jonathon Gray, Regina Whitaker, Jeffrey R Marks, Andrew Berchuck
• Journal: Gynecologic oncology (Gynecol Oncol) Vol. 96 Issue 2 Pg. 355-61 (Feb 2005) ISSN: 0090-8258 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15661221 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Insulin-Like Growth Factor II

Topics

• Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Female
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor II (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Ovarian Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Prognosis
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Survival Rate