Correlations between c-myc gene copy-number and clinicopathological parameters of ovarian tumours

Eur J Cancer. 2006 Mar;42(5):674-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2005.11.022. Epub 2006 Feb 3.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate increases in c-myc gene copy-number in ovarian tumours, and to analyze their correlations with clinicopathological parameters. Here we applied FISH on TMA (tissue microarrays) containing 507 ovarian tumour samples from different malignancy, histology, stage and grade. Overall, we found high frequency for c-myc copy-number increases (38.5%) in ovarian cancers: 22.1% amplifications and 16.4% gains. We established c-myc amplification in more than 30% in endometrioid and mixed epithelial ovarian carcinomas. c-myc gains were found in a high proportion (42.9%) of clear cell carcinomas. We found associations between c-myc copy-number changes and clinicopathological parameters of ovarian tumours such as degree of malignancy and histological type. We suggested that c-myc amplifications are characteristics for endometrioid, and c-myc gains for clear cell ovarian cancers. We suggest that copy-number increases of c-myc and 20q13.2 represent a possible mechanism for the regulation of the pathway STK15--c-myc--hTERT.

MeSH terms

  • Aurora Kinase A
  • Aurora Kinases
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Amplification*
  • Gene Dosage / genetics*
  • Genes, myc / genetics*
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phenotype
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Telomerase / genetics

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • AURKA protein, human
  • Aurora Kinase A
  • Aurora Kinases
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Telomerase