RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prognostic factors in ovarian carcinoma stage III patients. Can biomarkers improve the prediction of short- and long-term survivors? JF International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer JO Int J Gynecol Cancer FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 1014 OP 1022 DO 10.1136/ijgc-00009577-200511000-00003 VO 15 IS 6 A1 KAERN, J. A1 AGHMESHEH, M. A1 NESLAND, J. M. A1 DANIELSEN, H. E. A1 SANDSTAD, B. A1 FRIEDLANDER, M. A1 TROPÉ, C. YR 2005 UL http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/15/6/1014.abstract AB The aim of the study was to determine if biomarker expression could help discriminate between short-term and long-term survivors in women with advanced ovarian cancer. Fifty-one patients with stage III ovarian cancer were selected for the study, which included 28 short-term survivors (death from ovarian cancer within 18 months) and 23 long-term survivors (alive for more than 5 years). There was no difference between the two groups with respect to FIGO substage, age, World Health Organization score, and first-line platinum therapy. Classic clinical pathologic parameters were examined together with p53, Bcl-2, Ki-67, PDGFRα, P-glycoprotein, BRCA1, and DNA ploidy. Immunohistochemistry was used for scoring biomarker expression and image cytometry for DNA ploidy. All patients had primary debulking surgery followed by first-line platinum therapy. On multivariate analysis, the presence of ascites, debulking surgery and repeat laparotomy, clear-cell histology, elevated CA125, and high Ki-67 score were all found to be of prognostic importance. The long-term survivors were characterized by primary optimal cytoreduction surgery (<1 cm residual disease), attempt at maximal tumor debulking by experienced gynecological oncologic surgeons, and the absence of ascites. Normal CA125 level before platinum therapy and negative Ki-67 expression also predicted a more favorable prognosis.