Clinical Research Directory

Developing a Test of Uterine Lavage for the Detection of Ovarian Cancer

The study aims to develop a test for early detection of ovarian cancer using DNA from a growth involving the ovary found in a washing of the uterus (womb), and proteins found in the blood. The samples of the wash and the blood will be taken before surgery. After surgery, doctors will determine whether the participant had ovarian cancer or a benign disease of the ovaries. The tests of the washings and the blood will be examined to see how much the participants with ovarian cancer can be separated from the participants with a benign ovarian disease by the tests. Small amounts from the washing and the blood samples will be sent to four sites for analysis. Statistical analyses of these data will compare tumor DNA found in the washing of the uterus with proteins in the blood to detect cases of ovarian cancer. The primary goal is to find tests that are mostly positive for cases of ovarian cancer and mostly negative for patients with benign disease. It is hoped that if the tests work for participants with symptoms of the disease that these tests will also work when testing women who have no symptoms. A new study would be needed to see if the tests worked in this situation. If the tests work, this could lead to increasing the number of cases detected in early stage disease and decreasing the number of cases detected in late stage disease. If this change in late stage is large, it will likely reduce deaths due to ovarian cancer.

A Prospective Multicenter Diagnostic Biomarker Study to Discriminate Borderline from Stage I Invasive Ovarian Cancer

The study aims to improve the diagnosis of ovarian cancer by distinguishing between borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) and stage I invasive ovarian cancer. Other than the traditional diagnostic biomarker CA125, the previous study TRANS-IOTA (translational-international ovarian tumor analysis; S51375/S59207), conducted by similar investigators, pointed at biomarkers like HE4, CA72.4, CA15.3, and CCL11, as potential markers to discriminate BOT from stage I cancer. BIOC is the follow-up study, which will include four additional promising biomarkers to expand the panel to nine. The investigators aim to confirm whether a subpanel of these nine biomarkers has diagnostic value. Such a biomarker signature would enhance the accuracy of distinguishing between BOT and stage I invasive ovarian cancer before surgery, leading to more precise treatment and improved patient outcomes.