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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

YKL-40 tissue expression and plasma levels in patients with ovarian cancer

Authors: Estrid VS Høgdall, Merete Ringsholt, Claus K Høgdall, Ib Jarle Christensen, Julia S Johansen, Susanne K Kjaer, Jan Blaakaer, Lene Ostenfeld-Møller, Paul A Price, Lise H Christensen

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2009

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Abstract

Background

YKL-40 (chitinase-3-like-1) is a member of "mammalian chitinase-like proteins". The protein is expressed in many types of cancer cells and the highest plasma YKL-40 levels have been found in patients with metastatic disease, short recurrence/progression-free intervals, and short overall survival. The aim of the study was to determine the expression of YKL-40 in tumor tissue and plasma in patients with borderline ovarian tumor or epithelial ovarian cancer (OC), and investigate prognostic value of this marker.

Methods

YKL-40 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in tissue arrays from 181 borderline tumors and 473 OC. Plasma YKL-40 was determined by ELISA in preoperative samples from 19 patients with borderline tumor and 76 OC patients.

Results

YKL-40 protein expression was found in cancer cells, tumor associated macrophages, neutrophils and mast cells. The tumor cell expression was higher in OC than in borderline tumors (p = 0.001), and associated with FIGO stage (p < 0.0001) and histological subtype (p = 0.0009). Positive YKL-40 expression (≥ 5% staining) was not associated with reduced survival. Plasma YKL-40 was also higher in patients with OC than in patients with borderline tumors (p < 0.0001), and it was positively correlated to serum CA-125 (p < 0.0001) and FIGO stage (p = 0.0001). Univariate Cox analysis of plasma YKL-40 showed association with overall survival (p < 0.0001). Multivariate Cox analysis, including plasma YKL-40, serum CA125, FIGO stage, age and radicality after primary surgery as variables, showed that elevated plasma YKL-40 was associated with a shorter survival (HR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.40–3.25, p = 0.0004).

Conclusion

YKL-40 in OC tissue and plasma are related to stage and histology, but only plasma YKL-40 is a prognostic biomarker in patients with OC.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
YKL-40 tissue expression and plasma levels in patients with ovarian cancer
Authors
Estrid VS Høgdall
Merete Ringsholt
Claus K Høgdall
Ib Jarle Christensen
Julia S Johansen
Susanne K Kjaer
Jan Blaakaer
Lene Ostenfeld-Møller
Paul A Price
Lise H Christensen
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-9-8

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