Objective To investigate relationships of paired-box gene family 8(PAX8)and vimentin in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with clinicopathologic features and recurrence after chemotherapy.

Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of PAX8 and vimentin in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues of 86 cases, and the relationships of PAX8 and vimentin with clinicopathologic features and recurrence after chemotherapy.

Results PAX8 and vimentin were highly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer, and their positive rates were 81.4% and 55.8%. The clinical stage, proportions of lymph node metastasis and ascites in patients with PAX8 and vimentin positive expression were higher than those with negative expression (P < 0.05). In patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer after chemotherapy, the number of patients with both positive expression of PAX8 and vimentin was significantly higher in patients with negative expression (P < 0.05); positive co-expression of PAX8 and vimentin was significantly correlated with recurrence after chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (P < 0.001).

Conclusion PAX8 and vimentin are highly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer, which has a certain value in evaluating the severity and prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.