Scientists at A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) and the Bioinformatics Institute (BII) have found new clues to early detection and personalised treatment of ovarian cancer, currently one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early due to the lack of symptoms that are unique to the illness.
There are three predominant cancers that affect women – breast, ovarian and womb cancer. Of the three, ovarian cancer is of the greatest concern as it is usually diagnosed only at an advanced stage due to the absence of clear early warning symptoms. Successful treatment is difficult at this late stage, resulting in high mortality rates. Ovarian cancer has increased in prevalence in Singapore as well as other developed countries recently. It is now the fifth most common cancer in Singapore amongst women, with about 280 cases diagnosed annually and 90 deaths per year..
- Identifying Ovarian Cancer Earlier
- Bioinformatics Analysis to Develop Personalised Treatment
Read AstarHQ Press Release, A*STAR scientists make breakthroughs in ovarian cancer research, August 08, 2014.
More Information:
- Identification of two poorly prognosed ovarian carcinoma subtypes associated with CHEK2 germ-line mutation and non-CHEK2 somatic mutation gene signatures, LandesBioScience, 30 May 2014.
- Lgr5 marks stem/progenitor cells in ovary and tubal epithelia, NatureCellBiology, 06 July 2014.
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