Early Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer: $1.2M Grant Aims to Improve Detection and Survival

Researchers at the University of Houston, led by Tianfu Wu, have received a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Defense to find early markers for ovarian cancer, a disease that is notoriously difficult to detect early. Ovarian cancer is a deadly threat because it is often diagnosed late, with only 32% of women surviving when diagnosed after the cancer has spread. Computational models estimate that detecting ovarian cancer earlier could reduce mortality by 10-30%. Wu's team aims to find better biomarkers, starting with autoantibodies that target the tumor suppressor gene often mutated in cancers, which can be an early indicator of ovarian cancer development.

Key Takeaways:

• The University of Houston's Tianfu Wu leads a team of researchers in finding early markers for ovarian cancer with a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Defense.
• Ovarian cancer is a deadly threat because it is difficult to detect early, with 70-75% of cases diagnosed after the cancer has already spread, and only 32% of women surviving when diagnosed at this stage.
• Computational models estimate that detecting ovarian cancer earlier could reduce mortality by 10-30%.
• Currently, doctors screen for ovarian cancer by measuring the rising amount of a protein called Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) produced by ovarian cancer cells, but additional biomarkers are needed to improve sensitivity.
• Wu's team will test approximately 10 to 20 biomarker candidates, including autoantibodies, to assess their performance in the early detection of ovarian cancer.
• The team will use machine learning modeling to develop computer algorithms for data analysis and disease predictions in collaboration with Ying Lin, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at UH.

Statistics:

• 70-75% of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stages, making it a deadly threat due to low survival rate.
• Only 32% of women survive when diagnosed after the cancer has spread.
• Computational models estimate that detecting ovarian cancer earlier could reduce mortality by 10-30%.
• Over 100 immune complexes were found to be significantly upregulated in ovarian cancer patients compared to healthy patients.
• The team will test approximately 10 to 20 biomarker candidates to assess their performance in the early detection of ovarian cancer.

Sources:

• [Original Press Release: July 16] [University of Houston]
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