Of all these parameters, only REG4 expression was found to be an independent prognostic factor of relapse-free survival of the patients with ovarian cancer (P = 0.013), while patient age, pathological classification, degree of differentiation, remnant foci size, serum CA-125 level and FIGO staging were not (P > 0.05, Table 3). The gene discussed is REG4; the disease is ovarian cancer.