Developed a diagnostic test for the ovarian cancer which could detect the disease earlier than current methods, thus increasing the chances of survival of patients. It is the result of a study published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. This is a seven-based test chemical substances present in uterine fluid which has surpassed the current leading tool for diagnosing ovarian cancer, a disease that is usually detected late and is often fatal. The fact is that epithelial ovarian cancer is asymptomatic for most of its course, so when you go to a doctor the tumor has already reached an advanced stage, difficult to cure.
ovarian cancer and diagnosis
Currently, a blood test for a protein called CA125 is used to diagnose ovarian cancer, but it does not always detect the disease reliably. To develop a better test, Peking University’s Pan Wang research team compiled the uterine fluid of 219 women with cancer, some with early stage ovarian cancer, some with advanced ovarian cancer, and some with benign ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. Uterine fluid contains cells and metabolic products, or metabolites, from the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
What the study says
Using special chemical instruments (mass spectrometers), the researchers examined the fluid of 96 women to look for metabolites whose levels were markedly different from those with early-stage ovarian cancer. Experts have identified a group of seven substances, including the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine, which could be used for early diagnosis. Then they analyzed the fluids of the remaining 123 women for these seven metabolites and also performed the classic CA125 test.
The new exam it accurately identified most women with early stage ovarian cancer and was much more effective than the CA125 test in diagnosing ovarian cancer at an earlier stage. The results are promising, but the test needs to be validated in a larger group of people, by comparing the presence and concentration profile of the seven substances even in healthy women to rule out the risk of false positives.