Blood Test Could Improve Ovarian Cancer Survival
Mon May 17, 2004 10:44 AM ET
LONDON, England (Reuters) - A simple blood test may help to improve survival rates for ovarian cancer by revealing which patients are likely to develop a resistance to chemotherapy drugs.
Professor Robert Brown, of Glasgow University in Scotland, told a cancer conference Monday that he and his colleagues found that the body can switch off genes that enable chemotherapy to kill cancer cells if the tumor reappears after initial treatment.
The blood test would enable doctors to identify patients who are likely to respond to additional treatment following a recurrence, or those who could benefit from soon-to-be tested drugs that are designed to turn the genetic switch back on.
Article: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5166291