Searching for new biomarkers in ovarian cancer patients: Rationale and design of a retrospective study under the Mermaid III project

Ovarian cancer is a silent killer and, due to late diagnosis, the primary cause of death amongst gynecological cancers, killing approximately 376 women annually in Denmark. The discovery of a specific and sensitive biomarker for ovarian cancer could improve early diagnosis, but also treatment, by predicting which patients will benefit from specific treatment strategies. The Mermaid III project is consisting of 3 parts including “Early detection, screening and long-term survival,” “Biomarkers and/or prognostic markers” and “The infection theory.” The present paper gives an overview of the part regarding biomarkers and/or prognostic markers, with a focus on rationale and design. The study described has 3 major branches: microRNAs, epigenetics and Next Generation Sequencing. Tissue and blood from ovarian cancer patients, already enrolled in the prospective ongoing pelvic mass cohort, will be examined. Relevant microRNAs and DNA methylation patterns will be investigated using array technology. Patient exomes will be fully sequenced, and identified genetic variations will be validated with Next Generation Sequencing. In all cases, data will be correlated with clinical information on the patient, in order to identify possible biomarkers. A thorough investigation of biomarkers in ovarian cancer, including large numbers of different markers, has never been done before. Besides from improving diagnosis and treatment, other outcomes could be markers for screening, knowledge of the molecular aspects of cancer and the discovery of new drugs. Moreover, biomarkers are a prerequisite for the development of precision medicine. This study will attack the ovarian cancer problem from several angles, thereby increasing the chance of successfully contributing to saving lives.