Circulating epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Circulating epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were estimated in 58 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and were correlated with clinically and biochemically important prognosticators. IGF-I levels were significantly low in patients as compared to controls. The relation of growth factors with clinically important prognosticators was non-significant. Moreover, the levels of EGF and IGF-I in the ER+/PR+ and ER-/PR- groups and in the low and high EGFR+ tumors did not differ significantly. Patients with EGF < 1.0 ng/ml had significantly better survival than those with EGF > 1.0 ng/ml.