"Our research could lead to the development of a simple blood test to help detect ovarian cancer. This has the potential to save lives through early diagnosis.” -Dr. Benjamin Tsang, senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa.The protein gelsolin may help doctors detect ovarian cancer earlier, according to a preliminary study led by Dr. Benjamin Tsang. Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage because there is no reliable screening test to catch it early.
The study published in Scientific Reports is the first to show that gelsolin in blood plasma is better at detecting early stage ovarian cancer than the commonly used cancer antigen 125. Plasma gelsolin was also better at predicting the amount of cancer cells left in the body after surgery, information that could help physicians and their patients choose the best treatment option.
The study is based on plasma samples from 99 ovarian cancer patients. These findings will need to be confirmed in more patients before the test can be used clinically.
“Our research could lead to the development of a simple blood test to help detect ovarian cancer. This has the potential to save lives through early diagnosis.” -Dr. Benjamin Tsang, senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa.
Authors: Meshach Asare-Werehene, Laudine Communal, Euridice Carmona, Tien Le, Diane Provencher, Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Benjamin K. Tsang
Source: Scientific Reports
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research. All research at The Ottawa Hospital is supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
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