Novel therapeutic strategy targeting ovarian cancer stem cells and their niche

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293344
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Katabuchi Hidetaka 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 教授 (90224451)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TASHIRO HIRONORI 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任准教授 (70304996) ; MOTOHARA TAKESHI 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部, 助教 (10457591) ; TAKAISHI KIYOMI 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (00601303) ; SAKAGUCHI ISAO 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (40448527)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 卵巣癌 / 癌幹細胞 / CD44

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To investigate the role of cancer stem cell marker CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6) in the development of distant metastasis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. The association between the expression of CD44v6 and distant metastasis was evaluated based on immunohistochemical analysis. Distant metastasis-free survival was compared between the CD44v6-high and -low groups. At the time of ovarian cancer diagnosis, distant metastasis occurred in 13 of 53 patients in the CD44v6-high group and 17 of 133 patients in the CD44v6-low group. The median metastasis-free survival after stage I-III ovarian cancer diagnosis was 19.5 months in the CD44v6-high group and 39.5 months in the CD44v6-low group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CD44v6 expression was an independent risk factor for distant metastatic recurrence. In conclusion, CD44v6 represents an important predictor of distant metastasis.

Free Research Field

婦人科腫瘍