Biomarkers Aid Differential Diagnosis of Pelvic Mass

A clinical study has evaluated the ability of a multi-marker panel of biomarkers to triage women with suspicion of ovarian cancer.

The study was performed by Ciphergen Biosystems (Freemont, CA, USA) in conjunction with Professor Claus Hogdall at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark), and presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) annual meeting in Palm Springs (CA, USA) in March 2006. The marker panel used in the study consisted of seven markers previously identified in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD, USA), the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, (Houston, Texas, USA) and the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY, USA).

Two hundred and two consecutive patients with suspicion of primary tumor, endometriosis, or pelvic pain were evaluated. Data from 126 women were used for training, and data from the remaining 76 women were used for blinded testing. The marker panel provided substantial benefit in increased positive predictive value (the percentage of time a positive test result is actually positive). When combined with cancer antigen 125 (CA125), the marker panel had a positive predictive value in the blinded set of 80% in contrast to 59% for CA125 alone.

"These results validate our previous findings,” said Gail S. Page, president and CEO of Ciphergen. "Appropriate triage of women with suspicion of ovarian cancer is necessary so that women who do have ovarian cancer can be referred to the specialist gynecologic oncologist. It has been demonstrated that this referral has an important impact in patient outcome.”





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Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen