Quantitative analysis of cell-free DNA in ovarian cancer

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) levels and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with ovarian cancer using a branched DNA (bDNA) technique, and to determine the value of quantitative cf-DNA detection in assisting with the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Serum specimens were collected from 36 patients with ovarian cancer on days 1, 3 and 7 following surgery, and additional serum samples were also collected from 22 benign ovarian tumor cases, and 19 healthy, non-cancerous ovaries. bDNA techniques were used to detect serum cf-DNA concentrations. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 18.0. The cf-DNA levels were significantly increased in the ovarian cancer group compared with those of the benign ovarian tumor group and healthy ovarian group (P<0.01). Furthermore, cf-DNA levels were significantly increased in stage III and IV ovarian cancer compared with those of stages I and II (P<0.01). In addition, cf-DNA levels were significantly increased on the first day post-surgery (P<0.01), and subsequently demonstrated a gradual decrease. In the ovarian cancer group, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of cf-DNA and the sensitivity were 0.917 and 88.9%, respectively, which was higher than those of cancer antigen 125 (0.724, 75%) and human epididymis protein 4 (0.743, 80.6%). There was a correlation between the levels of serum cf-DNA and the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer in the patients evaluated. bDNA techniques possessed higher sensitivity and specificity than other methods for the detection of serum cf-DNA in patients exhibiting ovarian cancer, and bDNA techniques are more useful for detecting cf-DNA than other factors. Thus, the present study demonstrated the potential value for the use of bDNA as an adjuvant diagnostic method for ovarian cancer.

Alter circulating cell‐free DNA variables in plasma of ovarian cancer patients

“…Recently, Shao et al . found the serum levels of cfDNA were 197.2, 199.9 and 811.4 μg/L in healthy control, benign tumor and OC patients, respectively which is consistent with our results . Some reasons can explain these results.…”

Circulating cell-free DNA and circulating tumor cells, the “liquid biopsies” in ovarian cancer

“…There is also no correlation between cf-DNA concentration and age, sex, or body mass index [ 23 ]. But, the cf-DNA levels in stage III and stage IV OC, were found to be higher than those of stageIand stageII OC [ 24 ].…”

“…So the potential use of cf-DNA as a combination application tool, along with the various methods used at present to diagnose OC, may be promising. Studies show that there is no correlation between the serum levels of cf-DNA and CA-125 and HE-4; and when two or three of these biomarkers were used as combined detection, specificity was improved [ 24 ].…”

Cell-free DNA as a diagnostic marker for cancer: current insights

“…The amount of circulating cfDNA in serum and plasma seems to be significantly higher in patients with tumors than in healthy controls, especially in those with advanced-stage tumors than in early-stage tumors 17–19. The variability of the amount of circulating cfDNA is higher in cancer patients than in healthy individuals,16 and the amount of circulating cfDNA is influenced by several physiological and pathological conditions, including proinflammatory diseases 20,21.…”