[Significance of PCNA proliferating fraction for prognosis of ovarian carcinoma]

The prognostic value of the PCNA-proliferative fraction as compared to conventional clinical and histomorphological factors (FIGO-stage, tumour type, histological grading, lymph node status, size of residual tumour) was investigated in 81 ovarian cancer patients. Categorisation of PCNA-expression into tumours with low and high proliferative activity (< 20%/ > or = 20% according to laboratory standards) had the highest prognostic value. Categorisation on the basis of the median value (< or = 34%/> 34%) or classification of PCNA as a continuous variable did not prove advantageous. PCNA-proliferative fraction was significantly directly correlated with histological grading (p = 0.006). Tumours with a high PCNA expression had a greater frequency of macroscopically detectable residual tumours. In univariate survival analyses patients with highly proliferating tumours had a worse outcome than patients with tumour of low proliferation (PCNA </> or = 20%/20%, p = 0.012; PCNA < or = 34%/ > 34%, p = 0.08). The result was consistent in subgroup of FIGO III-tumours (p = 0.031, PCNA < 20%/> or = 20%), of FIGO l-tumours (p = 0.036, PCNA < 20%/> or = 20%), of carcinomas without post-operative residual tumour (p = 0.03 PCNA < 20%/> or = 20%) and also of FIGO III-tumour without residual tumours (p = 0.041 PCNA < 20%/> or = 20%). Multivariate survival analysis comprising all the patients revealed PCNA expression (< 20%/> or = 20%) as an independent prognostic factor second to the size of the residual tumour. In patients with FIGO III-tumours PCNA proves significant as an independent factor after the size of the residual tumour was removed from the model. Thus, PCNA provides additional information which may prove beneficial in determining prognostic estimates for ovarian cancer.

EGF-R and PCNA expression in ovarian carcinomas--correlation with classic prognostic factors

Expression of the epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGF-R) and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was immunohistochemically studied in 75 ovarian cancer samples using formalin-fixed, parafin-embedded tissue. Correlations between these factors and conventional histomorphologic factors were investigated. 44 (58.7%) tumors were EGF-R positive (> 10% positive cells). 18 tumors (24%) showed a weak EGF-R-expression (< or = 50% positivity) and 26 tumors (34.7%) had a strong EGF-R-expression. Expression of EGF-R did not correlate with any of the other prognostic factors investigated. The PCNA-proliferative fraction was classified using the median value (< or = 34%/ > 34%) and a categorization in three groups (< 20%/20%-50%/ > 50%). PCNA-expression showed no correlation with FIGO-stage, histologic tumor type, lymph node-status and EGF-R. However, both PCNA-classifications correlated with the size of the residual tumor (PCNA < or = 34%/ > 34%/p = 0.046; PCNA < 20%/20%-50%/ > 50%/p = 0.086) and the histologic grading (p = 0.076; p = 0.02 respectively). Thus, the PCNA-proliferative fraction might be an additional indicator for tumor aggressiveness and disease outcome.

[Initial experiences with the determination of neopterin in the urine of females with genital and breast tumors]

The quantitative analysis of urinary neopterin was carried out ahead of the operation by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sample included 98 women with genital or breast neoplasias. Significant differences have been found between the patients with benign or preinvasive neoplasias as well as women with malignancies (p less than 0.001) as compared to a control group of healthy females. The neopterin levels of the malignant tumors were definitely higher than those of the benign tumors (p less than 0.01). As far as genital tract cancer ist concerned, the neopterin levels found were in 51.5 per cent of the cases above the estimated limit with a specificity of 95.1 per cent in healthy patients and 79.5 per cent within the group of nonmalignant gynecologic lesions. The neopterin levels established in patients with genital tract malignancies appear to be related with the stage of the development of the disease (i.e. levels and positive rate are significantly higher in stages III and IV as compared to stages I and II; p less than 0.01). Tests of women with breast cancer showed the smallest number of raised neopterin levels. The average level of the last mentioned cases didn't differ greatly from the levels of the benign breast tumors. Tests of the patients with cancer after treatment showed in 68.8 per cent of all cases neopterin levels corresponding to the clinical findings. However, cases of smaller recurrent tumors may be accompanied by normal neopterin levels as well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Therapeutic results in uterus sarcoma]

Thirty-five cases of uterus sarcoma admitted to the Gynaecological Hospital of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charité, between 1963 and 1976, are reported in this paper. An account is given of the prognosis of uterus wall and mucous membrane sarcomata, with the authors' findings being compared with data from the literature. The need is emphasised for centralised treatment of the low number of cases.