Expression of cathepsin-D, CA125 and epidermal growth factor receptor in imprint smears of ovarian carcinoma

One hundred primary ovarian cancers were studied for the expression of cathepsin-D, CA125 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) by staining of imprint smears from freshly obtained surgical specimens. Estrogen and progesterone receptors of the primary tumor, lymph node invasion, menopausal status of the patients and primary tumor size were also noted. The polymorphism of the antigenic characteristics of ovarian carcinomas was noted and significant associations of EGF-R positivity and lymph node negativity, EGF-R positivity and serous carcinomas, EGF-R positivity and cathepsin-D positivity, cathepsin-D positivity and CA125 positivity, and CA125 positivity and serous carcinomas were observed. The high incidence of cathepsin-D positivity makes it a possible complementary method to CA125 for following up patients. It is suggested that complete antigenic profiles of individual tumors are more likely to provide accurate prognostic information in individual cases.