ABSTRACT

To assess the relationship between Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) expression and clinicopathological variables in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Serous EOC cases treated in our institution between January 2007 and December 2009 were included in the study. A semi-quantitative immunohistochemical method was used to determine AQP1 expression levels, intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) and AQP1/IMD ratios. The relationship between these parameters and clinicopathological variables were assessed. P values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

A total of 55 cases of serous EOC were included in the study. AQP1 was strongly expressed in the membranes of microvessels and small vessels within all tumor tissues. In a few cases, AQP1 expression was also observed in the membrane of interstitial cells and in individual tumor cells. A positive correlation was detected between preoperative CA125 levels and the expression of AQP1 (R: 0.277, p<0.05). AQP1 expression was similar between FIGO stage I-II and FIGO stage III-IV cases (p > 0.05). A significant relationship did not exist between AQP1 expression and FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis or ascites volume (p>0.05).

In this study, AQP1 expression did not have a significant association with important clinicopathological variables in serous EOC. Future studies are needed to determine AQP1 expression in other histological types of EOC.

Keywords: Aquaporin-1, intratumoral microvessel density, serous epithelial ovarian cancer