Immunological peculiarities of CD-56-positive serous ovarian adenocarcinoma

Here we present the results of evaluation of the expression of neural cell adhesion molecules CD56 (NCAM) in serous ovarian adenocarcinoma. The expression was detected in 48.5% cases. Infiltration of tumor stroma and parenchyma with CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes was significantly less pronounced in tumors expressing neural cell adhesion molecules; CD3+CD4+CD25+ predominate among CD4+ lymphocytes in CD56+ tumors. CD56+ tumors were lower in size (5.2±0.6, 7.9±0.8 and 10.3±1.5 cm in monomorphic, mosaic, and negative phenotypes, respectively (p=0.05) and were characterized by the absence of cystic component (p=0.012), larger disseminations in the peritoneum (4.2±1.1 and 2.7±0.5 cm; p=0.05), and larger volume of the residual tumor (p=0.018) after surgical treatment. NCAM phenotype of the tumor does not correlate with the stage and differentiation degree of serous ovarian adenocarcinoma.