Patient Blood Bank Will Spur Ovarian Cancer Research (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute are leading an effort to collect blood samples from women with recurrent ovarian cancer. The project's ultimate aim is to develop an accurate method of early detection for the killer disease.

During the 24-month study, researchers will collect blood samples from 400 women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer who show no signs of cancer after they've completed their first program of chemotherapy.

"If we can harness all of the protein information in the blood of our patients' samples, we may have a strong lead on how to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage when it can be most effectively treated," study author Dr. Elise Kohn, of NCI's Center for Cancer Research, explained in a prepared statement.

Currently, the CA-125 screen is the only test approved in the United States to check if ovarian cancer has returned. CA-125 checks for protein that's detectable in 80 percent of advanced cases of epithelial ovarian cancer. However, it cannot accurately diagnose women who have no signs of ovarian cancer.

There's a high likelihood that advanced-stage ovarian cancer will return within three years of initial treatment, even when there are no indications that cancer is present, experts note. At the current time, CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasound are not effective in predicting ovarian cancer recurrence.

That's why it's essential to identify new biomarkers, such as those found in blood, for early detection of recurrent ovarian cancer, the NCI team said.

More information

The National Cancer Institute has more about ovarian cancer.