Use of proteomic patterns in serum to identify ovarian cancer

Emanuel F. Petricoin, Ali M. Ardekani, Ben A. Hitt, Peter J. Levine, Vincent A. Fusaro, Seth M. Steinberg, Gordon B. Mills, Charles Simone, David A. Fishman, Elise C. Kohn, Lance A. Liotta

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2903 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: New technologies for the detection of early-stage ovarian cancer are urgently needed. Pathological changes within an organ might be reflected in proteomic patterns in serum. We developed a bioinformatics tool and used it to identify proteomic patterns in serum that distinguish neoplastic from non-neoplastic disease within the ovary. Methods: Proteomic spectra were generated by mass spectroscopy (surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionisation). A preliminary "training" set of spectra derived from analysis of serum from 50 unaffected women and 50 patients with ovarian cancer were analysed by an iterative searching algorithm that identified a proteomic pattern that completely discriminated cancer from non-cancer. The discovered pattern was then used to classify an independent set of 116 masked serum samples: 50 from women with ovarian cancer, and 66 from unaffected women or those with non-malignant disorders. Findings The algorithm identified a cluster pattern that, in the training set, completely segregated cancer from non-cancer. The discriminatory pattern correctly identified all 50 ovarian cancer cases in the masked set, including all 18 stage I cases. Of the 66 cases of non-malignant disease, 63 were recognised as not cancer. This result yielded a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 93-100), specificity of 95% (87-99), and positive predictive value of 94% (84-99). Interpretation: These findings justify a prospective population-based assessment of proteomic pattern technology as a screening tool for all stages of ovarian cancer in high-risk and general populations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)572-577
Number of pages6
JournalLancet
Volume359
Issue number9306
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 16 2002
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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