Investigating the Clinical Potential for 14-3-3 Zeta Protein to Serve as a Biomarker for Epithelioid

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Recently, 14-3-3 zeta protein was identified as a potential serum biomarker of epithelioid ovarian cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical potential of 14-3-3 zeta protein for monitoring epithelioid ovarian cancer progression compared with CA-125 and HE4. In a prospective follow-up study, carried out at the University of Pecs Medical Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Oncology (Pecs, Hungary), we investigated 13 patients with epithelioid ovarian cancer with advanced-stage (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics IIb–IIIc) epitheloid ovarian cancer who underwent radical surgery and received six consecutive cycles of first-line chemotherapy (paclitaxel, carboplatin) in 21-day intervals. METHODS: Pre- and postchemotherapy computed tomography scans were performed. Serum levels of CA-125, HE4, and 14-3-3 zeta protein were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative electrochemiluminescence assay. RESULTS: Serum levels of CA-125, HE4, and 14-3-3 zeta protein as well as lesion size according to pre- and postchemotherapy computed tomography scans were analyzed. Serum levels of CA-125 and HE4 were found to significantly decrease after chemotherapy, and this was consistent with the decrease in lesion size detected postchemotherapy. In contrast, 14-3-3 zeta protein levels did not significantly differ in healthy postmenopausal patients compared with patients with epithelioid ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of CA-125 and HE4 serum levels for the risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm does represent a useful tool for the prediction of chemotherapy efficacy for patients with epithelioid ovarian cancer. However, levels of 14-3-3 zeta protein were not found to be a reliable biomarker of epithelioid ovarian cancer.