Genetic alterations in gynecological malignancies

The aim of the study was to estimate genetic alterations detected in ovarian and cervical cancer cells, in correlation with other available parameters of a histopathological and clinical character and to find the important associations and differences of both these tumor sites with diverse impacts on the cancer's prognosis. Sixty patients presenting with ovarian cancer and twenty patients manifesting cervical cancer were included in the study. The histological type and grade, MIB-1 and p53 were estimated. For genetic testing, both conventional and molecular methods were applied. The results were subjected to statistical evaluation, using analysis of variances and I2 test. Ovarian cancer patients with extensive chromosomal rearrangements were assessed to be significantly younger. The typical findings, different in ovarian and cervical cancer cells have been found, including some less frequent findings (deletion of 22q in 36% of all ovarian cancer samples, as well as amplifications of chromosome 2 and deletions of chromosome 10, 11p and 21q in cervical cancer cells). The expression of proliferation marker MIB-1 was observed to be significantly higher in women with a high p53 HSCORE. The significant importance of genetic alterations and the activity of proliferative markers, including common correlations with an unfavorable outcome with respect to ovarian tumors in younger women were found. Key words: chromosomal rearrangements, genetic alterations, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, prognostic significance.