Chromosomal rearrangements and their relations to histopathological and clinical parameters in epithelial ovarian cancer

The aim of the study was to estimate genetic alterations detected in ovarian cancer cells in correlation with other available parameters of histopathological and clinical character and to find important relations with impacts on the cancer prognosis. Additionally, we wanted to compare methods for evaluating genetic changes. Sixty patients with ovarian cancer were included in the study. The histological type and grade were defined, MIB-1 and p53 were estimated using an immunohistochemical method. For genetic testing, both conventional and molecular methods were applied - direct culture and G-banding technique, FISH method with whole chromosome painting probes, and CGH method. The results were submitted to statistical evaluation, using analysis of variances and chi2 test, with Bonnferroni correlations of the significance level. Numerical and structural aberrations have been detected in more than 63 % examined ovarian cancer cases. Patients with extensive chromosomal rearrangements were significantly younger. Specific genetic alterations, including some rare findings such as deletion 22q in 36 % of all ovarian cancer samples, have been found, together with associations between particular prognostic factors.