Serum protein panel accurately detects early ovarian cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A panel of four serum protein markers accurately detects early ovarian cancer, according to a report in the May 9th PNAS Early Edition.

The identification of cancer-specific markers that accurately detect early ovarian cancer is essential for decreasing the morbidity and mortality of this disease, the authors explain.

Dr. Gil Mor from Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut and colleagues developed a blood test based on leptin, prolactin, osteopontin, and insulin-like growth factor-II and examined its ability to discriminate between 106 disease-free subjects and 100 ovarian cancer patients, including 24 diagnosed with stage I/II disease.

Prolactin and osteopontin levels were significantly elevated in serum from women with early ovarian cancer, the authors report, whereas leptin and insulin-like growth factor-II levels were significantly reduced.

These four proteins were able, when used together, to completely discriminate between control and cancer groups in the test sample, the report indicates.

Using a split-point analysis (with split points of 2.5 for leptin, 10 for prolactin, 21 for osteopontin, and 491 for insulin-like growth factor-II), the presence of at least 2 abnormal values was associated with a sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 95%, positive predictive value of 95%, and negative predictive value of 94%, the researchers note.

"It has been suggested that any screening strategy for early detection must achieve a minimum of 99.6% specificity," the investigators write.

"Thus, there is significant need for further improvement of the four-analyte test reported here if the assay is to be used for general population screening."

"The extent to which leptin, osteopontin, prolactin, and insulin-like growth factor-II can serve as potential biomarkers of cancers other than early ovarian cancer must be investigated rigorously," the authors conclude. "Nevertheless, the data presented here support the existence of a highly accurate and distinct multiplex proteomic set that can accurately distinguish between normal and early ovarian cancer patients, including stage I and II."

Source: PNAS Early Edition 2005.doi:10.1073/pnas.0502178102 [ Google search on this article ]

MeSH Headings: Biological Factors : Diagnosis : Immunologic and Biological Factors : Tumor Markers, Biological : Biological Markers : Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures : Chemical Actions and Uses : Chemical Actions : Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment : Chemicals and Drugs