Expression Of Integrin α6β4 In Epithelial Ovarian Cancer And Its Clinical Significance

BACKGROUND:Ovarian cancer(OC)is one of the most common malignant tumors of the female reproductive system.Its incidence ranks third among reproductive tract tumors,but it has become the most lethal reproductive cancer compared with cervical cancer and endometrial cancer.The five-year survival rate for early ovarian cancer is higher than 90%,while the five-year overall survival rate for advanced ovarian cancer drops sharply to less than 30%.Therefore,it is the current clinical and scientific research to improve the early diagnosis rate of ovarian cancer,extend the tumorfree progression period and increase the five-year survival rate through new screening methods,treatment targets,and improving the effective rate of satisfactory tumor cytoreductive surgery.Research hotspots.Integrin α6β4 has been confirmed to be over-expressed in a variety of tumors,and a research team has designed and developed a polypeptide targeting integrin α6,and by combining it with an image tracer,it has been successfully used in mice and humans.Early molecular imaging of related cancers provides a basis for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.OBJECTIVE:Based on the detection of integrin α6 and integrin β4 protein expression in epithelial ovarian tumors,it hopes to provide a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of ovaries.METHODS:A total of 95 cases of ovarian tumor tissue archived pathological sections(65 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer and 30 cases of benign epithelial tumors)of patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Gynecology of Guangdong Second People’s Hospital from January 2014 to December 2019 were selected.The tumor patients had no history of biological treatment,radiotherapy,or chemotherapy before surgery,and no other malignant tumors.In this study,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of integrin α6 and integrin β4 protein in epithelial ovarian tumors,and the experimental data were statistically analyzed in combination with the clinicopathologlical parameters of patients with ovarian cancer.RESULTS:1.The positive expression rate of ITGA6 in EOC tissue is 70.8%(46/65),and the positive expression rate in benign epithelial ovarian tissue is 40.0%(12/30).The difference is statistically significant(P<0.05).2.The expression of ITGA6 in EOC has no correlation with age grouping and lymph node metastasis,but is related to surgical pathological stage,degree of differentiation,and tissue type(p<0.05).3.The positive expression rate of ITGB4 in EOC tissue is 78.5%(51/65),and the positive expression rate in benign epithelial tumor tissue is 50.0%(15/30).There is no statistically significant difference between the both(P<0.05).4.The expression of ITGB4 in EOC tissue is closely related to surgical pathological staging(P=0.017)and pathological grade(P=0.005),and has no correlation with patient age,tissue type,and lymph node metastasis.5.There is a significant positive correlation between the expression of ITGA6 and ITGB4 in ovarian cancer(rs=0.756,P<0.05).6.The high expression of ITGA6 in malignant tumors may make it promising as a molecular probe target for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.CONCLUTION:The expressions of ITGA6 and ITGB4 in ovarian cancer are both upregulated,and their expressions are significantly positively correlated.They may become markers for pathological diagnosis of ovarian cancer,and their combined detection is more valuable.The high expression of ITGA6 in ovarian cancer can be used for molecular imaging of ovarian cancer,providing a new way for the diagnosis,staging and efficacy evaluation of ovarian cancer.