Background: Pepsinogen C (pep C) is a gastric aspartic protease of which is associated with a favorable prognosis in breast cancer. Recently, it has been demonstrated in other tumors of extradigestive origin.
Study design: We have analyzed pep C expression in 72 epithelial ovarian carcinomas by immunohistochemistry.
Results: Nineteen (26%) tumors stained positively for pep C. Overall this expression was not associated with the clinicopathologic characteristics or with outcome. However, in patients with serum levels of CA 125 less than 35 U/ml, pep C expression identified a group with a more favorable prognosis.
Conclusion: Pepsinogen C is expressed in a quarter of ovarian carcinomas and might identify a subset of patients with different prognosis.