Ovarian cancer biomarkers
Related
Find the right cancer biomarker for your research using our cancer immunohistochemistry (IHC) guide to ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death in women and impacts female life and health all over the world. The high death rate in this disease is due to the late stage of disease diagnosis. Although radical surgical tumor debulking and platinum plus paclitaxel-based chemotherapy are currently established therapies for the treatment of ovarian cancer, the 5-year survival rate is still around 40% (Luo et al, 2018). The ability to sensitively and specifically predict the presence of early ovarian cancer, disease status, stage, and associated therapeutic efficacy, has the potential to revolutionize ovarian cancer detection and treatment (Coticchia et al, 2008). Consequently, the identification and validation of applicable diagnostic and prognostic ovarian cancer biomarkers are essential to improve patient outcomes (Luo et al, 2018).
Overview
Primary IHC biomarkers
Paired box 8 (PAX8)
PAX8 is a transcription factor essential in organogenesis, morphogenesis, cell growth, and differentiation. PAX8 is highly expressed in both benign and malignant primary epithelial ovarian carcinomas, but not in metastatic ovarian cancer (Chai et al, 2017). High expression levels of PAX8 correlate with shorter survival rates. PAX8 acts as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for ovarian cancer (Liliac et al, 2013).
FFPE IHC of human ovarian adenocarcinoma tissue stained for PAX8 using ab227707 at 1/100 dilution.
IHC stain: nuclear
Recommended IHC antibody: Recombinant Anti-PAX8 anitbody [SP348] N-terminal (ab227707)
MUC16
Also known as CA125. This membrane-associated mucin found in cornea and conjunctiva, in respiratory tract and female reproductive tract epithelium and forms a lubricating barrier against foreign particles and infectious agents. This biomarker is 79% sensitive for ovarian cancer and considered the most reliable diagnostic marker for ovarian cancer and a potential cancer therapeutic target. Assayed as a serum biomarker for ovarian cancer diagnosis, MUC16 is also used in IHC to distinguish ovarian origins of metastases (Felder et al, 2014).