title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaofang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tianbo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shaoqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ju
keywords: branched DNA; cell free DNA; ovarian cancer; tumor marker