The immunohistochemical expression of p53 and Ki67 in ovarian epithelial borderline tumors. Correlation with clinicopathological factors.

BACKGROUND Borderline tumor of the ovary is an epithelial tumor with a low rate of growth and a low malignant potential to invade or metastasize. This tumor often is associated with a significantly better prognosis than epithelial ovarian cancer. Most of these tumors are either serous or mucinous in histology. AIM Assessment of p53 and Ki67 immunohistochemical expression in 52 epithelial ovarian tumors, correlation with clinicopathological factors, and comparison between results in benign, borderline, and malignant tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS From the total number of 125 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian neoplasms in the period 2002-2010, 52 operated patients were selected, with serous and mucinous tumors. There were 26 (50%) malignant cases, 15 (28.8%) borderline and 11 (21.15%) benign. We used the monoclonal antibody DO7 and Ki67-MM1. RESULTS P53 immunoreactions were positive in 41.66% of malignant serous tumors, most of them (90%) high-grade carcinomas; 6.66% of borderline and none benign tumors were positive. Ki67 was positive in 61.53% of malignant cases, with higher percents in advanced clinical stages. Ki67 immunoreactions were also positive in borderline and benign tumors, with lower percents, 13.3% respectively 9.09%. CONCLUSIONS We found almost similar frequency of immunostaining in borderline tumors and low-grade invasive serous carcinomas in contrast to the significantly higher frequency of p53 mutations in high-grade serous carcinomas. Proliferative activity as assessed by Ki67 staining does not explain any possible relationship of serous borderline tumors to epithelial ovarian cancer.