A feasibility study in the development of biological markers for ovarian cancer

As a primary feasibility study for the selection of biomarkers for more extended clinical evaluation, 17 potential biomarker candidates were measured in the body fluids of patients with ovarian carcinoma. For comparative purposes, patients were staged and separated into three groups: those considered completely free of disease, those with residual but minimal tumor, and those with advanced disease. Individual markers included plasma carcinoembryonic antigen, serum human chorionic gonadotrophin, urinary β‐aminoisobutyric acid, serum UDP‐galactosyltransferase, and urinary hydroxyproline. Structurally related groups of biomarkers included six modified nucleosides and three polyamines analyzed in urine, and three serum protein‐bound neutral carbohydrates. The respective chromatographic methods developed for these latter biochemical materials enabled all the individual compounds in each group to be quantitated simultaneously in one analytical run. The general frequency and degree of elevation for the total number of biomarkers was directly proportional to increasing tumor burden with specific exceptions, human chorionic gonadotrophin and β‐aminoisobutyric acid. Galactosyl‐transferase was the most frequently elevated in the limited disease categories. Several of the biomarkers were elevated in the majority of patients with advanced disease and appeared potentially superior to carcinoembryonic antigen or human chorionic gonadotrophin.