• Changshu Li, Chun Qiao, Huafeng Ding, and Yonghong Luo.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), Wuhu, Anhui, China.
• J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2022 Dec 1; 32 (12): 157615801576-1580.

ObjectiveTo detect methyltransferase-like (METTL) 16 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and its relationship with clinicohistopathological parameters and prognosis.Study DesignObservational study.Place And Duration Of StudyDepartment of Gynaecology and Pathology, The First Hospital of Wannan Medical College (Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College), from February to June 2022.MethodologyMETTL16 expression in 115 EOC patients was evaluated by IHC. According to the immunoreactive score (IRS), scores <6 represented low expressions and ≥6 high expressions. Clinicopathologic data and follow-up information were collected for statistical evaluation.ResultsMETTL16 expression decreased in EOC (p = 0.001) and affected the poor prognosis of EOC patients. Low METTL16 patients expression had significantly higher frequencies of advanced FIGO stage, low grade, more lymph node metastasis, high CA125 levels, bilateral disease, distant metastasis, and high frequency of neural/vascular invasion compared to high METTL16 patients (p ≤0.001, <0.001, <0.001, 0.017, 0.027, <0.001, and 0.010, respectively). The survival analysis showed that the overall survival (p <0.0001) as well as the disease-free survival (p <0.0001) were remarkably shorter in low METTL16 patients compared to high METTL16 patients, suggesting worse survival.ConclusionThere was a clear association between the expression of METTL16, poor prognostic factors, and lower survival of EOC patients, suggesting that it might exert a vital effect on the malignant progression / prognosis of EOC.Key WordsEpithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), METTL16, Immunohistochemistry, Prognosis.

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