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Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Assessment of Ovarian Cancer Spheroid Attachment and Invasion of Mesothelial Cells in Real Time
Published on: May 20, 2014
Sphingosine-kinase-1 expression is associated with improved overall survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer
L C Hanker1, A El-Balat2, Z Drosos3
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany. lars.hanker@uni-luebeck.de.
Purpose:
Sphingosine-kinase-1 (SPHK1) is a key enzyme of sphingolipid metabolism which is involved in ovarian cancer pathogenesis, progression and mechanisms of drug resistance. It is overexpressed in a variety of cancer subtypes. We investigated SPHK1 expression as a prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer patients.
Methods:
Expression analysis of SPHK1 was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from 1005 ovarian cancer patients with different histological subtypes using immunohistochemistry. Staining intensity of positive tumor cells was assessed semi-quantitatively, and results were correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and survival.
Results:
In our ovarian cancer collective, high levels of SPHK1 expression correlated significantly with complete surgical tumor resection (p = 0.002) and lower FIGO stage (p = 0.04). Progression-free and overall survival were further significantly longer in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer and overexpression of SPHK1 (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006, respectively).
Conclusion:
Our data identify high levels of SPHK1 expression as a potential favorable prognostic marker in ovarian cancer patients.
