Developing new tests for ovarian cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation into new biomarkers for diagnosing and treating ovarian cancer
IRAS ID
225991
Contact name
David Jeevan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 24 days
Research summary
Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynaecological cancer. 1 in 52 women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime and survival from the disease is highly dependent on the stage at diagnosis. At stage 1, 90% of women will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis. At stage 3 this figure drops to 20% and then to just 5% at stage 4. Due to the non-specific nature of symptoms (bloating, abdominal discomfort) most affected women (70%) are diagnosed at advanced stage 3 or 4. The current blood test CA-125 is poor and only identifies 50% of Stage 1 ovarian cancers. Therefore, novel diagnostic tools to detect ovarian cancer are urgently needed. This study is examining new biomarkers based on steroid hormones.
Hypothesis: Steroid hormone metabolites are of diagnostic value in detecting ovarian cancer.
Aim: to explore the steroid metabolome in ovarian cancer compared to benign tumours and normal ovary through the following research questions:
Q1. Does the steroid pathway differ in OC subtypes and benign tumours?
Q2. Is there a steroid profile in urine that can identify OC subtypes or benign tumours?
Q3. Can we equate gene expression with activity in the steroid pathway?Hormones have been implicated in ovarian cancer progression but their true role remains unexplained. We plan to use new technology such as mass spectrometry to search for hormone metabolites that can spot the disease early. To do so we will recruit patients with ovarian tumours (benign and malignant), obtain samples from them (urine, tissue and blood) and analyse them for steroid and other novel markers. As research progresses, novel markers hitherto unknown may also be tested. We will also be studying the genes expressed in OC to understand how changes in steroid hormone production may take place.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0011
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion