Test Identifies Ovarian Cancer

John Hopkins researchers have developeda test to detect ovarian cancer byidentifying 3 proteins found in the bloodof women with the disease, according toan article reported in Cancer Research(August 15, 2004). Earlier studies withthe test suggested that there is a molecularsignature exclusive to ovarian cancer,which can remain undetected andspread quickly.

"By identifying a select group of biomarkersspecific to ovarian cancer, we notonly know the proteins we are dealingwith, but we can trace them back to alterationsin the genetic code of ovarian cancercells," said Daniel W. Chan, PhD,director of Biomarker Discovery Center atJohns Hopkins.

Additional studies are needed, however,before the test is commercially availablefor screening ovarian cancer. Chanpointed out that no blood test will be ableto correctly diagnose 100% of canceroustumors all the time.