The E-cadherin repressor Snail is associated with lower overall survival of ovarian cancer patients

TY - JOUR

T1 - The E-cadherin repressor Snail is associated with lower overall survival of ovarian cancer patients

AU - Blechschmidt, K

AU - Sassen, S

AU - Schmalfeldt, B

AU - Schuster, T

AU - Höfler, H

AU - Becker, K-F

PY - 2008/1/29

Y1 - 2008/1/29

N2 - Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among female genital malignancies. Reduced expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin was previously shown to be associated with adverse prognostic features. The role of the E-cadherin repressor Snail in ovarian cancer progression remains to be elucidated. We analysed formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of 48 primary ovarian tumours and corresponding metastases for expression of E-cadherin and Snail by immunohistochemistry. We found a significant correlation between E-cadherin expression in primary cancers and their corresponding metastases (P<0.001). This correlation was found for Snail expression as well (P<0.001). There was a significant (P=0.008) association of reduced E-cadherin expression in primary ovarian cancer with shorter overall survival. Similarly, Snail expression in corresponding metastases (P=0.047) was associated with reduced overall survival of the patients. Additionally, the group of patients showing reduced E-cadherin and increased Snail immunoreactivity in primary tumours and corresponding metastases, respectively, had a significantly higher risk of death (P=0.002 and 0.022, respectively) when compared to the patient group with the reference expression profile E-cadherin positive and Snail negative. Taken together, the results of our study show that the E-cadherin repressor Snail is associated with lower overall survival of ovarian cancer patients.

AB - Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among female genital malignancies. Reduced expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin was previously shown to be associated with adverse prognostic features. The role of the E-cadherin repressor Snail in ovarian cancer progression remains to be elucidated. We analysed formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of 48 primary ovarian tumours and corresponding metastases for expression of E-cadherin and Snail by immunohistochemistry. We found a significant correlation between E-cadherin expression in primary cancers and their corresponding metastases (P<0.001). This correlation was found for Snail expression as well (P<0.001). There was a significant (P=0.008) association of reduced E-cadherin expression in primary ovarian cancer with shorter overall survival. Similarly, Snail expression in corresponding metastases (P=0.047) was associated with reduced overall survival of the patients. Additionally, the group of patients showing reduced E-cadherin and increased Snail immunoreactivity in primary tumours and corresponding metastases, respectively, had a significantly higher risk of death (P=0.002 and 0.022, respectively) when compared to the patient group with the reference expression profile E-cadherin positive and Snail negative. Taken together, the results of our study show that the E-cadherin repressor Snail is associated with lower overall survival of ovarian cancer patients.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Cadherins

KW - Carcinoma

KW - Disease Progression

KW - Down-Regulation

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic

KW - Humans

KW - Matched-Pair Analysis

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Neoplasm Metastasis

KW - Ovarian Neoplasms

KW - Repressor Proteins

KW - Survival Analysis

KW - Transcription Factors

U2 - 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604115

DO - 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604115

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 18026186

VL - 98

SP - 489

EP - 495

JO - BRIT J CANCER

JF - BRIT J CANCER

SN - 0007-0920

IS - 2

ER -