Abstract: This paper investigated the value of Finkler ultrasound score combined with lemur tyrosine kinase 2 (LMTK2) gene in the diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). In this study, 112 patients with EOC (EOC group) and 76 patients with benign epithelial tumor of ovary (benign group) underwent ultrasonography and Finkler ultrasound score, and detected the serum LMTK2 levels by RT-PCR. The results showed that the Finkler ultrasound score and the relative expression of serum LMTK2 mRNA in the EOC group were significantly higher than those in the benign group (P<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between the Finkler ultrasound score and the relative expression of serum LMTK2 mRNA (r=0.563, P<0.001). When the Finkler ultrasound score was >5, the area under curve (AUC) of the diagnosis of EOC was 0.964. When the relative expression of serum LMTK2 mRNA was >0.415, the AUC of diagnosing EOC was 0.907. The AUC (0.986) and sensitivity (94.64%) of Finkler ultrasound score combined with serum LMTK2 in the diagnosis of EOC were higher than those of single diagnosis. The Finkler ultrasound score and the relative expression of serum LMTK2 mRNA in stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ group were significantly higher than those in stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ group (P<0.05). The AUCs of Finkler ultrasound score, serum LMTK2 and their combined diagnosis of stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ were 0.643, 0.850, and 0.851, respectively. This study showed that in the early diagnosis of EOC, compared with the single diagnosis, the Finkler ultrasound score combined with serum LMTK2 could effectively improve the diagnostic sensitivity, and the diagnostic value of serum LMTK2 for pathological staging could be higher than the Finkler ultrasound score.

Key words: epithelial ovarian cancer, Finkler ultrasound score, lemur tyrosine kinase 2, early diagnosis, pathological staging