Expression of adhesion molecules and the proliferative activity of carcinosarcoma of the ovary.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To clarify the mechanism underlying the formation of a sarcomatous component of ovarian carcinosarcoma, we investigated the expression of adhesion molecules and the proliferative activity of carcinosarcomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We immunohistochemically examined the expression of E-cadherin and ß-catenin, and the Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67 LI) in six carcinosarcomas containing endometrioid carcinoma as a carcinomatous component. RESULTS: The sarcomatous components of the carcinosarcomas did not express E-cadherin or ß-catenin. All carcinomatous components expressed these molecules but the expression was reduced compared to that in endometrioid ovarian carcinomas. In five of the six carcinosarcomas, the Ki-67 LI of the sarcomatous component was less than that of the carcinomatous component. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that a carcinomatous component transforms more easily than an ordinary endometrioid carcinoma from the viewpoint of the cell adhesion, and cells in a carcinomatous component continuously transform into sarcomatous cells during the growth of carcinosarcoma.