Circulating Extracellular Vesicles for Early Detection and Real-Time Monitoring of Ovarian Cancer
Abstract
“Early detection can save lives.” Despite the development of new treatments and therapies designed to improve patient outcome, ovarian cancer still remains the deadliest cancer of the female reproductive tract. Both the incidence rate and the average risk of dying from ovarian cancer before age 75 are high in developed countries, with deaths from the disease ranking as the fifth most common among women. Annually, there are about 239,000 new cases of ovarian cancer worldwide, and nearly 152,000 women die from complications associated with this disease. Rapid progression of ovarian cancer without symptoms makes this mortal disease difficult to clinically manage. This year, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 22,240 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States, most at a stage where they will fight their disease through rounds of chemotherapy and experimental drugs and, unfortunately, many will not survive. Mortality rates for ovarian cancer have declined only slightly in the 40 years since the “War on Cancer” was declared. However, other cancers have shown a much greater reduction in mortality due to many factors. It is commonly accepted that diagnosing cancer in its earliest stages can improve survival rates significantly. This is particularly true for ovarian cancer. Unlike breast, cervical, or colon cancer, there is no reliable screening test to detect ovarian cancer, which requires invasive surgery and removal of the ovaries in order to make a definitive diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the “cancer that whispers” because its symptoms are vague (e.g., bloating, abdominal pressure and/or discomfort, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full too quickly, urinary urgency or frequency) and are often ignored. Our local non-profit organization, the Vicki Welsh Fund (http://vickiwelshfund.org), like many other advocacy groups around the country, works to inform women about the symptoms and the lifestyle factors that may increase the risk of getting ovarian cancer; however, it is clear that relying on symptomology alone will not greatly reduce the mortality associated with this insidious disease. Furthermore, the clinical tests currently available to detect ovarian cancer are neither very robust nor specific and beg for new ideas and approaches. We have combined experts in the field of ovarian cancer biology and genetics, gynecological oncology, statistical modeling, bioinformatics, and biomedical engineering to develop a revolutionary diagnostic test for ovarian cancer to address the aforementioned clinical challenges with ovarian cancer management. Our group has developed and patented “Lab on a Chip” microfluidic devices, which can capture and analyze tiny cellular nanoscale bubbles or a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles, commonly referred to as exosomes, which are actively released by tumor cells and accumulate in the blood and other bodily fluids. These bubbles contain biomarkers that can be exploited by us to detect the presence of cancer early (high sensitivity) and with certainty of the type of cancer (high specificity). The proposed studies will develop new tools and biological assays that can ultimately be used at the point of care to detect ovarian cancer at earlier stages when existing therapies have a chance to cure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 16, 2019
- Source ID
- W81XWH1910360
Entities
People
- Andrew Godwin
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Kansas Medical Center