Expression of Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Markers in Ascites Tumor Cells in Ovarian Cancer
The expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling markers (CTNNB1, LEF1/TCF7, c-myc, cyclinD) was assessed in ascites tumor cells with epithelial (EpCam-CK18-E-cadherin), epithelial-mesenchymal (EpCam-CK18-Vimentin), and epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype with stemness features (EpCam-CK18-Vimentin-CD44-CD133) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The expression of CTNNB1, LEF1/TCF7, and cyclinD was significantly increased in cells of the epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype with stemness features in patients with refractory tumor. The duration of the relapse-free period is associated with the level of CTNNB1 expression in cells of the epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype with stemness features and the level of LEF1 expression in cells of the epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype.