Objective   The present study aimed to investigate the expressions of P16, P15, and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in primary epithelial ovarian carcinoma as well as their relationship with clinicopathological features.

  Methods   P16, P15, and VEGF proteins were detected in 170 cases of primary epithelial ovarian carcinoma, 60 cases of borderline tumors, and 60 cases of benign tumors by using S-P immunohistochemical staining method.

  Results   In ovarian carcinoma, the positive expression rate of P16 was 40.0%.This rate was lower than that in benign tumors(65.0%) and borderline tumors(56.7%;P < 0.05).In epithelial ovarian carcinoma, the positive expression rate of P15 was 45.3%.This rate was also lower than that in benign tumors(68.3%) and borderline tumors(61.7%;P < 0.05).In epithelial ovarian carcinoma, the positive expression rate of VEGF was 71.2%.This was higher than that in benign tumors(45.0%) and borderline tumors(53.3%;P < 0.05).In ovarian carcinoma, P16 expression was positively correlated with P15(r=0.294;P < 0.01), but VEGF expression was negatively correlated with P16 and P15(r=-0.461;r=-0.251;P < 0.01).The expressions of these three proteins were significantly correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation, clinical stage, and lymph node metastasis.In lymph node metastasis, high clinical stage, or poor differentiation, low positive rates of P16 and P15 were observed(P < 0.05).For VEGF, the positive rate was high.P16 and P15 expressions were not correlated with vascular invasion.VEGF expression was higher in the vascular invasion group than in the non-vascular invasion group.

  Conclusion   Low P16 and P15 expressions as well as high VEGF expression may exhibit synergistic effects on the development of ovarian carcinoma and simultaneously promote malignant development of ovarian carcinoma.