The expression of HER-2/neu (c-erbB2), survivin and cycline D1 in serous ovarian neoplasms: their correlation with clinicopathological variables

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of death among all gynecologic malignancies and a result of complex interaction of multiple oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of HER-2/neu (c-erbB2), survivin and cycline D1 biomarkers in serous ovarian neoplasms and their correlations with clinicopathological variables in serous ovarian cancers. We analyzed pathological specimens of 62 patients with benign (n = 25), borderline (n = 14) and malignant (n = 23) serous ovarian neoplasms. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. Significantly more immunoreactivity with HER-2/neu was detected in malignant tumors (100 %) compared to borderline (78.6 %) and benign tumors (48 %) (P < 0.01). Survivin expression was significantly higher in malignant tumors (91.3 %) than those found in borderline (71.4 %) and benign tumors (24 %) (P < 0.001). Similarly, higher cyclin D1 expression was observed in malignant tumors (95.6 %) compared to borderline (85.7 %) and benign tumors (48 %) (P < 0.001). Expression of all biomarkers analyzed significantly and gradually increased from benign to borderline and borderline to malignant serous tumors. In terms of clinicopathological variables, only tumor grade was associated with the expression of all biomarkers others exhibited different correlations in serous ovarian cancers. The expressions of HER-2/neu (c-erbB2), survivin and cycline D1 are positively correlated with the malignant potential of serous ovarian neoplasms.