Assessment of endoglin and calprotectin as potential biomarkers in ovarian carcinoma and borderline tumors of the ovary.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to analyze circulating endoglin concentration in ovarian carcinoma and evaluate a prognostic role for calprotectin and endoglin in effusions in advanced-stage disease. STUDY DESIGN: Preoperative plasma concentration of endoglin from women with benign ovarian tumors (n = 71), borderline ovarian tumors (BOT, n = 39), and ovarian carcinomas (n = 89) was analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as were endoglin and calprotectin concentrations in effusions from 164 women with advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma. RESULTS: Median endoglin plasma concentration was higher in the BOT group as compared with both control and invasive carcinoma groups (4.9 vs 4.5 and 4.3 ng/mL, P = .04 and P = .02), whereas the difference between the control and invasive group was not statistically significant (4.5 vs 4.3 ng/mL, P = .08). Endoglin and calprotectin effusion concentrations did not correlate with survival. CONCLUSION: Circulating endoglin is not elevated in advanced ovarian carcinoma. This is in contrast to the situation in breast and gastric cancer.