AUTHOR=Mach Pawel , Kimmig Rainer , Kasimir-Bauer Sabine , Buderath Paul 

TITLE=Association of Soluble B7-H4 and Circulating Tumor Cells in Blood of Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Patients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.721067

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.721067

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy worldwide. Reliable predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to estimate the risk of relapse and to improve treatment management. Soluble immune-checkpoints in EOC are promising molecules serving as prognostic biomarkers accessible <italic>via</italic> liquid biopsy. We thus, aimed at elucidating the role of sB7-H4 in EOC.</p></sec><sec><title>Material and Methods</title><p>We analyzed soluble serum B7-H4 (sB7-H4) using ELISA and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood applying the AdnaTest <italic>OvarianCancer</italic> in 85 patients suffering from advanced EOC. Findings were correlated with clinical parameters as well as survival data.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>sB7-H4 was detectable in 14.1% patients, CTCs in 32.9% patients and simultaneous presence of CTCs and sB7-H4 was found in 7% patients, respectively. Although no association between sB7-H4 and CTC could be documented, each of them served as independent predictive factors for overall survival (OS).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>sB7-H4 and CTCs are independent prognostic biomarkers for impaired survival in EOC. As they are easily accessible <italic>via</italic> liquid biopsy, they may be of potential benefit for the prediction of therapy response and survival for EOC patients.</p></sec>