High density of CD66b in primary high-grade ovarian cancer independently predicts response to chemotherapy

Purpose Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is the most lethal female genital cancer. After a primary curative surgical approach followed by chemotherapy, a fraction of the patients recur with chemoresistant disease. Data indicate a favorable therapeutic effect of tumor-infiltrating neutrophils (TIN) in OC. Our aim was to investigate the prognostic role of CD66b expression, corresponding to neutrophilic infiltration for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with OC. Methods A collective of 47 primary serous ovarian carcinoma and their matching recurrences were processed and stained with CD66b using immunohistochemistry. Tumors from patients with RFS of more than 6 months were defined as chemosensitive. Statistical analysis of CD66b expression was performed to assess the clinical endpoints. Results High density of CD66b expressing neutrophils in primary carcinoma was associated with chemosensitivity ( p = 0.014) and longer RFS ( p = 0.001). Univariate analysis identified high density of CD66b expressing neutrophils as a predictor for favorable RFS (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22–0.76, p 2 cm (HR 3.67, 95% CI 1.62–8.31, p