Epithelial ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest gynecologic cancer and for the 75% of EOCs that are diagnosed at an advanced stage with spread beyond surgical control, the 5-year survival rate is only 30%. On the contrary, early stage tumors with growth limited to the ovaries (stage I), are to a large extent curable (90% 5-year survival). Thus, early and improved diagnosis is fundamental for earlier detection of EOC to substantially improve patient survival.

We aim to develop a blood based clinical test for early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This work is carried out in close collaboration with Professor Karin Sundfeldt, Sahlgrenska Cancer Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University.

Initially, protein biomarkers specific for the most common histological subtypes of EOC (serous high grade, serous low grade, mucinous, endometroid and clear cell) have been identified in EOC tumor tissue and surrounding cyst fluid using shotgun mass spectrometry (MS). Those candidate markers are now being verified in plasma samples using targeted mass spectrometry (SRM).

Selected references:

1. Protein expression changes in ovarian cancer during the transition from benign to malignant. Waldemarson S, Krogh M, Alaiya A, Kirik U, Schedvins K, Auer G, Hansson KM, Ossola R, Aebersold R, Lee H, Malmström J, James P. J Proteome Res (2012) May 4;11(5)
2. Large-scale proteomics analysis of human ovarian cancer for biomarkers. Waldemarson, S. Krogh M, Szigyarto CA, Uhlen M, Schedvins K, Silfverswärd C, Linder S, Auer G, Alaiya A, James P. J Proteome Res (2007). 6, 1440–1450