Immunohistochemical study of HSP27 in ovarian cancer, 1st report – Determination of opitimal evaluation method- *
Objectives : To determine which staining evaluation method is best for determining the immunohistochemical expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP 27), which could be the most significant prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer patients. Methods : Expression of HSP 27 was studied in 71 epithelial ovarian cancer patients by immunohistochemical staining. The relationship between survival analysis and the expression was determined by some staining evaluation methods ; Geisler's, Arts'and ours. Results : Survival analysis using our 25% cut-off scale (p<0.01) and one of Geisler's modified staining evaluation methods (p<0.05) demonstrated that HSP 27 expression is significantly related to a poor survival rate, but this relationship did not reach statistical significance when evaluated by Arts' method, another method of Geisler's and our 50% cut-off scale. The mean HSP 27 staining score in deceased patients (6.16) was not significantly different from that in surviving patients (4.97) by Geisler's original staining evaluation method. Conclusion : The current study data suggest that our staining evaluation method (25% cut-off scale) is the most satisfactory and that HSP 27 expression is significantly related to a poor survival rate. (Accepted on August 28, 2002) Kawasaki Igakkaishi 28 (3) : 157-164, 2002
