HE4 as a Biomarker for Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer Management

daisy366

I read this today and thought it is significant for us. If any of you will be meeting with your doctors soon, I'd be interested in what they know about this information.

If any of you are interested in the complete research article, let me know.


Abstract

Ovarian and endometrial cancer will be diagnosed in over 63,000 women in 2009, resulting in 22,000 deaths in the USA. Histologic screening, such as pap smears for detection of cervical cancer, is not feasible for these diseases given difficulty with access to the tissue. Thus, a serum-screening test using a biomarker or panel of biomarkers would be useful to aid in cancer diagnosis, detection of recurrence and as a means to monitor response to therapy. In this review, we focus on the human epididymis protein (HE)4 gene, which appears to have potential as a biomarker for both of these diseases. The structure and methods of detection of HE4 are discussed. Preliminary data show that HE4 may have more potential than cancer antigen 125 in discriminating benign from cancerous ovarian masses, and has the strongest correlation with endometrial cancer of all markers tested to date. Utilizing risk stratification, a panel of biomarkers including HE4 may ultimately be useful for detecting ovarian and endometrial cancer at an early stage in patients at high risk.

Unknown

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lindaprocopio

unknown said:

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You BOTH are showing me brand new ideas I didn't know!
Good stuff! Thanks!

lindaprocopio

unknown said:

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You BOTH are showing me brand new ideas I didn't know!
Sorry for the TRIPLE post! I was excited by your news, and I think I'm still jazzed since yesterday's pre-chemo STEROIDS which make me a little quick on the trigger. I've been up go-go-going since 4AM. My face is red and round!

"Hampster Days" are here again!

lindaprocopio

unknown said:

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You BOTH are showing me brand new ideas I didn't know!
I won't try and post under Patricia's excellent research under my current condition, but I'll fix my 3rd post here by saying how impressed I am that you all are uncovering things I haven't found yet myself. It sure makes me think I must have that gene mutation and am chemo-resistant that my cancer recurred so quickly. I missed tissue assays by only 1 year or so at Geisinger. The new head of Women's Health is a gyn-onc and told me that he will bring that protocol to Geisinger as a step before chemo for type 3 cancers like UPSC. When I asked for a tissue assay in the fall of 2008, they weren't doing it and wouldn't do it. My chemo-onc said it wouldn't matter since there were no approved drugs yet for UPSC that deal with these factors. I'll bet they'd get them approved if women tested regularly as needing them to kill their cancer effectively!

Songflower

lindaprocopio said:

You BOTH are showing me brand new ideas I didn't know!
I won't try and post under Patricia's excellent research under my current condition, but I'll fix my 3rd post here by saying how impressed I am that you all are uncovering things I haven't found yet myself. It sure makes me think I must have that gene mutation and am chemo-resistant that my cancer recurred so quickly. I missed tissue assays by only 1 year or so at Geisinger. The new head of Women's Health is a gyn-onc and told me that he will bring that protocol to Geisinger as a step before chemo for type 3 cancers like UPSC. When I asked for a tissue assay in the fall of 2008, they weren't doing it and wouldn't do it. My chemo-onc said it wouldn't matter since there were no approved drugs yet for UPSC that deal with these factors. I'll bet they'd get them approved if women tested regularly as needing them to kill their cancer effectively!

Tissue Assays and Molecular Testing
Linda,

I called my patholgist that read my original report. They keep your cancer sealed in parafin and apparently can still do alot of testing on it. I am not sure about tissue assays and molecular testing for chemo resistance. I really haven't done much research on that end. It's hard; when you are first diagnosed it all happens so fast you just want to get in treatment fast and get it out and get the chemo. I think we need to form as a group for getting these drugs approved as serous is so similar to ovarian. President Obama's mother died of ovarian cancer.

I would really like to know what testing could be done on my speciman sitting there in parafit that has made my life so tough. Thinking of you.
Diane

daisy366

Songflower said:

Tissue Assays and Molecular Testing
Linda,

I called my patholgist that read my original report. They keep your cancer sealed in parafin and apparently can still do alot of testing on it. I am not sure about tissue assays and molecular testing for chemo resistance. I really haven't done much research on that end. It's hard; when you are first diagnosed it all happens so fast you just want to get in treatment fast and get it out and get the chemo. I think we need to form as a group for getting these drugs approved as serous is so similar to ovarian. President Obama's mother died of ovarian cancer.

I would really like to know what testing could be done on my speciman sitting there in parafit that has made my life so tough. Thinking of you.
Diane

Testing
I had tissue assay test right after surgery. But about 8 months after my new doc ordered hormone testing - he says the tissue is saved for "40 days and 40 nights" - he has a sense of humor!!

So ask your doc to do the testing you want.

daisy366

daisy366 said:

Testing
I had tissue assay test right after surgery. But about 8 months after my new doc ordered hormone testing - he says the tissue is saved for "40 days and 40 nights" - he has a sense of humor!!

So ask your doc to do the testing you want.

Getting tested for new markers!!!!
Hi ladies,

Ever since I learned that CA125 is an unreliable marker if LOW, getting tested every 2 months and having a low number was no longer reassuring for me.

After much advocacy, I will go in next week for blood work and (hurray) In addition to the ca125 I've requested the C-RP (Claudia's recommendation), HE4 (my research), AND HK6 (thank you Patricia).

When I first requested these, the response from the docs office was "there's no data on these" (the HE4 and HK6) and C-RP is for heart patients. So, I emailed them the data that we have here and I found that my insurance (aetna) will pay for these!!!!! Maybe I'm contributing to future changes in my docs office or maybe they just consider me a "pain in the petutie (sp??) - who cares.

So, my nurse put the order in yesterday. I will keep you folks posted.

Hope, hugs, and blessings to all, Mary Ann

Rewriter

daisy366 said:

Getting tested for new markers!!!!
Hi ladies,

Ever since I learned that CA125 is an unreliable marker if LOW, getting tested every 2 months and having a low number was no longer reassuring for me.

After much advocacy, I will go in next week for blood work and (hurray) In addition to the ca125 I've requested the C-RP (Claudia's recommendation), HE4 (my research), AND HK6 (thank you Patricia).

When I first requested these, the response from the docs office was "there's no data on these" (the HE4 and HK6) and C-RP is for heart patients. So, I emailed them the data that we have here and I found that my insurance (aetna) will pay for these!!!!! Maybe I'm contributing to future changes in my docs office or maybe they just consider me a "pain in the petutie (sp??) - who cares.

So, my nurse put the order in yesterday. I will keep you folks posted.

Hope, hugs, and blessings to all, Mary Ann

More power to you, Mary Ann!
Congratulations for pushing this! You are an inspiration to all of us. Please keep us posted.

Jill