Abstract. Endometrial cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women worldwide. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) are antioxidant enzymes that serve important roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the present study, the potential associations between PRDX expression and endometrial cancer were investigated. The expression levels of various PRDX mRNAs were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in endometrial cancer tissues (n=26) and normal endometrial tissues (n=10). Additionally, the expression of PRDX isoforms was immunohistochemically examined in endometrial cancer tissues and adjacent normal endometrial tissues from 42 patients. Finally, the associations between high PRDX expression levels and clinicopathological features were examined in patients with endometrial cancer. Analysis of PRDX expression in endometrial cancer tissues and normal endometrial tissues by semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that all PRDX isoforms had increased expression in the endometrial cancer tissues compared with that in the normal endometrium, and the differences in the expression levels of PRDX1 and PRDX3 between cancer and normal tissues were statistically significant (P=0.0015 and P=0.0134, respectively). Additionally, analysis of PRDX expression in endometrial cancer and paired normal endometrial tissues by immunohistochemistry showed strong cytoplasmic staining of PRDX3 and PRDX5 in cancer tissues, with high PRDX3 (25/42, 59.5%) and PRDX5 (32/42, 76.2%) appearing more frequently in endometrial cancer than in normal endometrial tissues (P= 0.0001 and P= 0.0023, respectively). Furthermore, high expression of PRDX5 was associated with advanced-stage endometrial cancer (P=0.0399). Although the 5-year survival rate was marginally higher in patients with low expression of PRDX3 and PRDX5, this result was not statistically significant. In summary, PRDX3 and PRDX5 are highly expressed in endometrial cancer and could be associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis. Therefore, these proteins may potentially be used as prognostic markers for endometrial cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to know the clinicopathological characteristics that help to make a decision about diagnosis and treatment of ovarian masses in Korean women. Methods: Women who were undergone operations and histopathologically confirmed as ovarian masses at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital and Donrae Paik Hospital from January of 1997 to June of 2009 were enrolled in this study. Distribution according to histopathological types and ages were analyzed. Results: Of the 2875 cases, there were 1078 cases (37.5%) of non neoplastic masses and 1797 cases (62.5%) of neoplastic masses. In the neoplatic masses, there were 1286 cases (44.7%) of benign tumors, 140 cases (4.9%) of borderline tumors and 371 cases (12.9%) of malignant tumors. Endometriomas were most common tumors (644 cases, 59.7%) among non-neoplastic masses. Mature cystic teratomas were the most common tumors (598 cases, 46.5%) among benign tumors. Mucinous cystadenomas were the most common types (105 cases, 75.0%) among borderline tumors. Epithelial ovarian cancers were the most common types (267 cases, 72.0%) among malignant tumors. As the result of age distribution, mature cystic teratomas were the most common types of the women of the first and second decade, endometriomas were the most common types of the women of the third and fourth decade, and benign epithelial tumors were the most common types of the women of fifth and after sixth decade. Conclusion: Taken as a whole, neoplastic ovarian masses were more common than non-neoplastic masses, but most common ovarian mass was endometrioma which is non-neoplastic mass.