Role of CD44 and CD24 Expression on 2-years Disease Free Survival in Patients with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate worldwide.

Despite optimal surgical therapy and chemotherapy, recurrence is still common.

Cancer stem cells expressing CD44 and CD24 are thought to be contributing factors in recurrence.

METHODS: A cohort retrospective study with survival analysis was carried out on advanced ovarian cancer patients who underwent optimal debulking surgery followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital and Fatmawati General Hospital from January 2019 to March 2023.

Immunohistochemical examination was performed on tumor tissue with CD44 and CD24 expression were assessed using the H-Score method then determined the cut off-point expression level using the ROC curve.

Furthermore, the relationship between these expression levels with the disease-free survival was assessed using the survival curve.

RESULTS: There were 48 subjects who were included in the study.

There were high expression levels of CD44 in 47.9% and CD24 in 50% of cases.

High CD44 expression had mean and median survival of 13.2 ± 1.8 and 11 months (HR 5.05, 95% CI 1.84- 13.85).

High CD24 expression had mean and median survival of 13.5 ± 2.4 and 7 months (HR 7.73, 95% CI 2.58 – 23.15).

The combination of the two high expressions had mean and median survival of 10.44 ± 1.88 and 7 months.

CONCLUSION: High expression of CD44 and CD24 will shorten the disease-free survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer.