The Development of an Angiogenic Protein "Signature" in Ovarian Cancer Ascites as a Tool for Biologic and Prognostic Profiling

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 3;11(6):e0156403. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156403. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) is one of the leading lethal gynecological cancers in developed countries. Based on the important role of angiogenesis in ovarian cancer oncogenesis and expansion, we hypothesized that the development of an "angiogenic signature" might be helpful in prediction of prognosis and efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapies in this disease. Sixty-nine samples of ascitic fluid- 35 from platinum sensitive and 34 from platinum resistant patients managed with cytoreductive surgery and 1st-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy- were analyzed using the Proteome ProfilerTM Human Angiogenesis Array Kit, screening for the presence of 55 soluble angiogenesis-related factors. A protein profile based on the expression of a subset of 25 factors could accurately separate resistant from sensitive patients with a success rate of approximately 90%. The protein profile corresponding to the "sensitive" subset was associated with significantly longer PFS (8 [95% Confidence Interval {CI}: 8-9] vs. 20 months [95% CI: 15-28]; Hazard ratio {HR}: 8.3, p<0.001) and OS (20.5 months [95% CI: 13.5-30] vs. 74 months [95% CI: 36-not reached]; HR: 5.6 [95% CI: 2.8-11.2]; p<0.001). This prognostic performance was superior to that of stage, histology and residual disease after cytoreductive surgery and the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ascites. In conclusion, we developed an "angiogenic signature" for patients with AOC, which can be used, after appropriate validation, as a prognostic marker and a tool for selection for anti-angiogenic therapies.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Ascites / metabolism
  • Ascitic Fluid / metabolism
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Platinum / therapeutic use
  • Prognosis
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Platinum
  • Carboplatin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by an educational grant of the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology (HeSMO). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.