Relationship between multidirectional differentiation of malignant ovarian epithelial tumors and Ki67 expression

Aim: To investigate the relation between multidirectional differentiation of ovarian adenocarcinomas and Ki67 expression.Methods: Mucinous differentiation was detected histochemically and neuroendocrine cell(NEC) differentiation was identified by immunohistochemical staining of chromogranin A(CgA) in 61 cases of ovarian epithial tumors and 22 cases of normal ovary.The proliferative activity(PA) of ovarian adenocarcinomas was assessed via Ki67 expression.Results:(1) The positive rate of Ki67 in malignant ovarian epithelial tumors was 85.37%,and their expression intensity increased with increasing histological grading and clinical stage(P0.01,0.05,respectively).The cellular proliferative index of ovarian adenocarcinomas was positively correlated with the number of NE cells.(2)The positive rate of CgA in malignant ovarian epithelial tumors was 66.65%,which was higher than that in benign ovarian tumors and normal ovaries(P0.01).Their staining intensity in histological grading gradeⅢ was higher than that in gradeⅠ(P=(0.012)0.05).(3)The mucin was seen in glandular lumens and cytoplasm of tumor cells of some ovarian adenocarcinomas.Conclusion: Mucinous and neuroendocrine cell differentiation are present in malignant ovarian epithelial tumors.Ki67 expression is closely related with differential mature degree of malignant ovarian epithelial tumors.