MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) last month, indicates scientists may have discovered the perfect model for developing early detection of ovarian cancer, a disease that annually kills 140,000 women worldwide. Using ultrasound technology from ZONARE Medical Systems, researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that pathological and Doppler sonographic changes associated with ovarian cancer in chickens are similar to those detected in women with ovarian cancer.
“The chicken is the only animal that spontaneously develops ovarian cancer like a human,” said Jacques Abramowicz, MD, Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Director of Ob/Gyn ultrasound, Rush University Medical Center. “During ultrasound analysis, it was possible to identify hens with multiple follicular hierarchy, those without follicles or other ovarian abnormalities including solid masses and ascites. This means endovaginal ultrasound can be used to determine ovarian status including tumor progression or early changes in the ovarian morphology in hens.”
Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the U.S. Normally, ovarian cancer is not detected until late stages due to lack of symptoms, resulting in high mortality rates. Unfortunately, scientists have tried for years to develop a model for ovarian cancer in rats, but the major difference is that cancer in rats has to be induced, whereas in chickens it is spontaneous. Furthermore, in other animals the histology of the cancer is different while in chickens it is identical to the human. This lack of a valid ovarian cancer animal model has been a major obstacle to ovarian cancer prevention research. Development of such a model would represent a significant breakthrough and potentially open the door toward expedited evaluation of chemo-preventive agents.
According to Dr. Abramowicz, 40-50% of hens between the ages of four to six years develop ovarian cancer. A two year old hen is at the same reproductive age as a middle-aged woman. Chickens and humans tend to develop the same type of ovarian cancer on the surface of the ovaries. Using ZONARE’s z.one ultrasound system as part of the study, Dr. Abramowicz believes routine ultrasound exams, along with other critical tests, could be key in detecting early signs of ovarian cancer in chickens which then could be applied to developing the tools for early detection in humans. A team of researchers from Rush University, including immunologists, pharmacologists, pathologists and others, is closely involved.
“Because the rate of ovarian cancer in hens is so high, we will be able to track hens from before they develop the disease until after and on into later stages,” said Dr. Abramowicz. “One of the early signs of ovarian cancer in chickens is the cessation of laying eggs. We can then do routine ultrasound and blood exams to track what is happening. It is our goal to develop a successful model which can then be transferred to human care, helping to push detection rates back to earlier stages, especially in high risk women.”
Representing one of the most significant ultrasound breakthroughs in decades, Zone Sonography technology has allowed ZONARE Medical Systems to bring the first Convertible Ultrasound platform to the industry with superb image quality at a superior price to value ratio. Clinicians are able to instantly convert the z.one platform from a full-featured, cart-based system into a premium compact, ultrasound system with all the performance of substantially larger and more expensive ultrasound units, yet, with greater portability and clinical flexibility than conventional compact systems.
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This research project is a collaborative effort by Rush University Medical Center, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Rush team is led by Judith Luborsky, PhD, associate professor in the departments of pharmacology and obstetrics and gynecology. Parts of the research project are supported by the National Institutes of Health, Rice Foundation and the Ovarian Cancer Survivor Network.
About Rush University Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center is an academic medical center that encompasses a 616-bed hospital serving adults and children, the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center, and Rush University. Rush University is home to one of the first medical colleges in the Midwest and one of the nation’s top-ranked nursing colleges. For more information about Rush, visit www.rush.edu.
About ZONARE Medical Systems
ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures premium compact performance ultrasound solutions, which combine revolutionary technology with an innovative physical design. Zone Sonography technology, ZONARE’s unique patented approach to ultrasound imaging, is focused on bringing the highest performance to all clinical settings, leading to advanced diagnostic capabilities, more cost effective operation and increased value to providers. For more information, please visit our web site at www.zonare.com.
ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc.
CONTACT: Laurie Hallwyler of ZONARE Medical Systems, +1-650-248-9081, orlhallwyler@zonare.com; or Kim Waterman of Rush University Medical Center,+1-312-942-7820, or cell, +1-630-220-4083, or Kimberly_Waterman@rush.edu
