A University of Illinois Chicago study found an ovarian cancer biomarker that could help early detection.
The study, published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, used vaginal samples from mice with ovarian tumors to find molecular "fingerprints" or microenvironments of cancer. The tests identified a potential biomarker, enzyme cystatin A, which was previously associated with the immune system's response to cancer.
The study also used tampons worn by women the day before gynecologic surgery and found cystatin A levels were twice as high in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, compared with those of women whose samples were diagnosed as benign.