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Multiple markers for breast and ovarian cancer
Source: (cancerfacts.com)
Monday, August 01, 2005
UPPSALA, Sweden – Aug. 1, 2005 – Scientists have made a promising discovery that could improve the early diagnosis of breast and ovarian cancers through a simple blood test.
The research team led by Dr. Serhiy Souchelnytskyi from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research discovered three proteins present in the blood of women with breast and ovarian cancer, but not in the blood of women without cancer, according to a study published in the current issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
"Attempts to find a single reliable early protein, or 'marker', for breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis have not been very successful," Souchelnytskyi said in a prepared statement. "However, the use of multiple markers clearly improves the diagnostic ability. There are indications that these markers may also one day be useful for prognosis of the disease course."
The research team in Uppsala made the discovery in collaboration with researchers at the Lviv Regional Oncology Center in Ukraine. They suggest that the technique used for discoveries of combinations of markers are already stimulating the development of tests for monitoring the appearance and progression of cancer.
The finding is particularly welcome for ovarian cancer, which is quite curable when caught at an early stage. Unfortunately, because the symptoms are often vague or non-existent in most women, the majority of ovarian cancers are found at a late stage, when it is much less likely to be cured.
According to Dr. Kunle Odunsi from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, says a discovery such as this, greatly improves the potential for predictive tests and thus the long-term outlook for patients.
"Early detection is crucial for effective treatment, particularly for ovarian cancer. If we can use a simple blood screen to identify this cancer at a very early stage, we can almost certainly make a positive impact on patient health and survival, " said Odunsi, who heads of the International Cancer Vaccine Collaborative's Ovarian Cancer Initiative.
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