Evaluation of Sialyl-Lactotetra as a Marker for Epithelial Ovarian Tumors

• Ovarian carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease with distinct molecular and histological profiles, ranging from low grade atypia to highly aggressive tumors associated with a poor prognosis. In the present study, glycosphingolipids were isolated from human high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, whereby the novel stem cell marker Sialyl-lactotetra (S-Lc(4)) was characterized in two out of three cases. The presence and level of S-Lc(4)was further evaluated immunohistochemically in a cohort of patients with ovarian tumors ranging from benign lesions to high grade serous carcinoma (n= 478). Its expression was assessed in association with tumor grade, stage, histology, and survival. The data showed that S-Lc(4)is most common and highly expressed in borderline type tumors and carcinomas with low levels of aggressiveness, such as mucinous, endometrioid, and low grade serous. Accordingly, S-Lc(4)-positivity was associated with better disease-free survival. The expression of S-Lc(4)was seemingly associated with lineage continuity and could be traced from premalignant lesions to carcinoma, suggesting inheritance by a stem cell lineage that gives rise to generally indolent tumors.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

sialyl-lactotetra

glycosphingolipid characterization

biomarker

ovarian carcinoma

stem cell marker

favorable prognosis

cancer

glycosphingolipids

antigen

cells

ganglioside

expression

carcinoma

endometriosis

nomenclature

Oncology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)