It is very important to find new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. A total of 79 patients were enrolled in the study. The study group consisted of 37 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, and the control group consisted of 42 patients with benign ovarian lesions. Five proteins involved in the immune response were studied: BTLA, CD27, CD70, CD28, CD80. The study material was serum and peritoneal fluid. The ROC curve was plotted, and the area under the curve was calculated to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the studied parameters. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed simultaneously using the Cox regression model. The cut-off level of CD27 was 120.6 pg/mL, with the sensitivity and specificity of 66 and 84% (p = 0.014). Unfavorable prognostic factors determined in serum were: CD27 (for PFS: HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.21-1.29, p = 0.047; for OS: HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15-1.22, p = 0.014). Unfavorable prognostic factors determined in peritoneal fluid were: BTLA (for OS: HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.25-1.31, p = 0.033). We conclude that CD27 should be considered as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. BTLA and CD27 are unfavorable prognostic factors for ovarian cancer.
Keywords: BTLA; CD27; CD28; CD70; CD80; diagnostic biomarker; immune proteins; ovarian cancer; prognostic biomarker.