Predicting Cancer Prognosis
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- German researchers believe they have discovered an important new marker that may help determine the prognosis of patients with uterine and ovarian cancers.
Together, uterine and ovarian cancers result in the greatest number of gynecological cancer deaths among women. While more people can survive uterine cancer, both cancers can take aggressive forms, which greatly increase the risk of death. Finding ways to determine which tumors are more aggressive could help doctors better treat the disease.
Using immunological and genetic assessments, these investigators tested tumor samples from 58 women with ovarian cancer and 72 women with uterine cancer for the presence of a specific protein molecule called L1 glycoprotein, or L1, which is know to play a role in the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body. L1 was found in 46 of the ovarian cancer samples and 20 of the uterine cancer samples. Women whose tumors expressed the protein had significantly worse outcomes and greater risk of death than those whose tumors did not express the protein.
The researchers believe these results point to a need for further study on the role L1 plays in uterine and ovarian cancers. They write, "Well-designed prospective studies are needed to validate use of L1 expression in the classification and treatment of patients with ovarian and uterine carcinomas. L1-based diagnosis and prognosis could make an important contribution towards a better management and treatment of this disease."
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SOURCE: The Lancet, 362;869-875
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