Current research on tumor markers in ovarian cancer

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancies in female reproductive system and threatens seriously the health of women, which results in the highest mortality rate among gynecological tumors in China. Because the clinical symptoms in the early stage of ovarian cancer is insidious and can not easily be found, 70% of the ovarian cancer cases have developed into advanced stage when they are diagnosed as ovarian cancer. In the ovarian carcinoma patients, five-year overall survival (OS) rate of Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Ⅰ can achieve 90%, while with the development of this disease, invading or relapsing, OS rate of FIGO Ⅳ ovarian cancer is less than 5%. Therefore, it′s becoming a research hotspot of ovarian cancer to seek for the tumor markers which are of high specificity and sensitivity to help the early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of ovarian cancer. Early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation can improve the OS rate and clinical curative effect in ovarian cancer patients. Key words: Ovarian neoplasms; Tumor markers, biological; Early diagnosis; Diagnosis, differential; Prognosis; Female