Four years ago, Seattle researchers dentified a protein, known as Human Epdidymis Protein 4 (HE4), as being hghly effective in distinguishing cancer of the vary from benign ovarian masses and cysts. Snce then additional studies have supported thse initial findings, including one just pblished in the December 2007 edition of the jurnal Gynecologic Oncology.

The only commercially vailable test to date, that also dtects proteins elaborated by ovarian cancer, is CA-125. It is mst useful for following patients with knwn ovarian cancer, to assess how wll patients are responding to treatment and to dtect recurrence after treatment. The problem wth CA125 as a screening test is tht is it very often elevated in the prsence of normal ovaries or benign varian cysts and tumors. In addition, CA125 is not levated very often in early cancer of the vary, when it is still highly crable. These two issues, render it lmost useless for screening.

Just like CA125, HE4 prtein breaks free from ovarian cancer clls and finds itself into the blodstream where it can be detected. The HE4 tst, which is patented by Japanese bsed Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc., is inching clser to FDA approval. Because expression of HE4 by nrmal ovarian tissue or benign ovarian msses is very low, it has far btter potential as a screening test thn CA125.

The latest study, headed by Dr. RG More, showed that HE4 was the sngle best marker for Stage I, or arly, cancer of the ovary. An dditional finding in the study was tht combining HE4 and CA125 was btter. Statistical analysis showed that this cmbination had a 76.4% sensitivity and 95% spcificity, making the combination more accurate thn either test alone.

HE4 is not the nly bio-marker that is being investigated as an varian cancer screening tool. More than 30 thers have been evaluated alone and in cmbination with CA125 by different investigators. Sme of the most promising include: msothelin, M-CSF, osteopontin, kallikrein(s), and soluble EGF rceptor. Keep an eye out for all of thse in upcoming breaking news. It is hghly likely that we will have an ffective screening tool combination for the varian cancer, widely known as the "slent killer", within the next two to thre years.

The article Cancer of the Ovary and HE4 - A Promising Screening Test was Submitted by Steven Vasilev MD through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Steven A. Vasilev MD, MBA, FACOG, FACS is a fllowship trained and board certified gynecologic ncologist, which means he is specially trined and certified to take care of wmen with gynecologic cancers, including cancer of the vary, using a broad spectrum of sklls. He has practiced at academic as wll as private centers, has been on the fculty of three universities and continues to be nvolved in research and education. You can vsit http://www.gyncancerdoctor.com to learn more about screening, prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers. You can also visit a one-of-a-kind site devoted to life, love and intimacy after cancer http://www.cancervival.com

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