Objectives: To investigate the expression of sulfatides in the tissue homogenates of malignant ovarian tumors, benign ovarian tumors, and control tissues and to study the relation between this marker and other clinico-pathological criteria such as the tumor type, grade of differentiation, surgical stage and ovulatory years.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biochemistry, Assuit university hospital.
Subjects: Forty-six patients had malignant ovarian tumors. Sixteen patients had benign ovarian neoplasm. Thirty patients, with normal ovaries, represented the control group.
Methods: A sample of the tumor or from the normal ovary (the control group) was sent for histopathological and biochemical examination. Sulfatides were measured by a rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method.
Results: There was a significant rise in benign tumors [median and range 43 (38-53)], than in the control group, 21 (18-31), P-value = 0.000. In malignant tumors, the median value of sulfatides was significantly higher than in benign tumors [127 (71-193), P-value = 0.000]. Sulfatides were significantly higher in patients with more ovulatory years and tumors of advanced stages (stage III/IV) and poor differentiation.
Conclusions: Sulfatides may play a role in the pathogenesis of benign and malignant ovarian tumors. It may also predict advanced stages in patients who are apparently early stage. It is also a candidate to study of their association with response to chemotherapy.