Assessment of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Clinicopathologic and molecular studies have provided new insights and understanding on the pathological events during ovarian carcinogenesis. Moreover, angiotensin II-enhanced tumor cell invasion via type 1 angiotensin II receptor in ovarian cancer cell lines was recently demonstrated. It has been suggested that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity increases in diseases involving the female reproductive system. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the possible relationship between the levels of circulating angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), an important molecule of RAS, and ovarian cancer (OC). This study was conducted in 41 epithelial OC patients (mean age 56.1 ± 10.2 years) and 19 healthy controls (mean age 53.4 ± 13.1 years). Clinical and laboratory features are summarized. Serum ACE and Ca-125 levels were measured using commercially available laboratory kits. Serum ACE levels of epithelial OC patients and controls were 30.58 ± 13.37 and 14.15 ± 3.67, respectively. Serum ACE levels were significantly elevated in epithelial OC patients in comparison to healthy controls. Ca-125 levels of epithelial OC patients were also significantly elevated in epithelial OC patients. No correlation was observed between ACE levels and Ca-125 levels. In epithelial OC patients, serum ACE levels did not differ according to stages and pathologic subtypes of the patients. Our results showed that serum ACE levels were increased in OC patients. Being an important component of RAS, circulating ACE might be associated with ongoing pathobiologic events in ovarian carcinogenesis. Therefore, targeting the RAS pathway could provide a future treatment strategy for this cancer type.