Introduction: This study investigates the expression and the clinical significance of Lewis y and integrins α₅ and β₁ in serous and mucinous ovarian tumors and then evaluates the association between them.

Methods: Lewis y and integrin α₅ and β₁ expression are detected on tissues from malignant, borderline, and benign ovarian serous and mucinous tumors and normal tissues. Their expression and relationship are assessed in paraffin sections using immunohistochemistry and double-labeling immunofluorescence method.

Results: Lewis y was mainly expressed in ovarian serous and mucinous cancers (88.33%); its positive rate was obviously higher than rates in the borderline (60.00%, P < 0.05) and benign ovarian tumors (35.00%, P < 0.01) and normal ovarian tissues (0, P < 0.01) and was not associated with clinicopathological characteristics. Integrins α₅ (85.00%) and β₁ (81.67%) were also mainly expressed in ovarian serous and mucinous cancers; their positive rates were all obviously higher than those in benign ovarian tumors (60.00% and 55.00%, respectively; all P < 0.05) and normal tissues (40.00% and 30.00%, respectively; all P < 0.01). Increased expression of integrins α₅ and β₁ correlated with higher clinical stage (P < 0.05) but were not associated with histological types, differentiation degree, and lymphatic metastasis (P > 0.05). The expression intensity of Lewis y and integrins α₅ and β₁ was significant with clinical stage and differentiation degree (all P < 0.05) in ovarian cancer; positive significant correlation between Lewis y antigen and integrins α₅ and β₁ was observed in serous and mucinous ovarian cancer tissues.

Conclusions: A close correlation between Lewis y, integrins α₅ and β₁, and ovarian cancer was observed. Lewis y can influence the biological behavior of a tumor cell as an important composition of integrins α₅ and β₁ by some signal pathway, such as promoting cell adhesion and migration, and this study provides theoretical evidence of ovarian cancer biological treatment.