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Exploring alternative ovarian cancer biomarkers using innovative nanotechnology strategies

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Abstract

Our increased understanding of ovarian cancer’s blueprints (mediated by DNA and RNA) and behavior (mediated by proteins) points to wide differences across patients that cannot be depicted by histology alone. Conventional diagnosis usually entails an adequate tissue biopsy, which limits serial testing. There is thus a motivation to shift towards easier to obtain clinical samples (e.g., ascites or blood). In response, investigators are increasingly leveraging alternative circulating biomarkers in blood or proximal fluids and harnessing novel profiling platforms to help explore treatment-related effects on such biomarkers in serial fashion. In this review, we discuss how new nanotechnologies we developed intersect with alternative ovarian cancer biomarkers for improved understanding of metastases and therapeutic response.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 55 Fruit St, Yawkey 9E, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Cesar M. Castro & Michael J. Birrer

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Systems Biology, 185 Cambridge St, 5th floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Cesar M. Castro, Hyungsoon Im, Christine Le, Hakho Lee & Ralph Weissleder

Authors
  1. Cesar M. Castro
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  2. Hyungsoon Im
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  3. Christine Le
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  4. Hakho Lee
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  5. Ralph Weissleder
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  6. Michael J. Birrer
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Correspondence to Cesar M. Castro or Michael J. Birrer.

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Castro, C.M., Im, H., Le, C. et al. Exploring alternative ovarian cancer biomarkers using innovative nanotechnology strategies. Cancer Metastasis Rev 34, 75–82 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-014-9546-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-014-9546-9

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