Growth regulatory factors of ovarian cancer

在妇科癌症中，卵巢癌的预后最差（5年生存率为35%）。有几个因素被认为是造成最差预后的原因。(1)沉默（无症状）疾病；(2)早期无诊断方法；(3)组织学分型多。另一方面，卵巢癌细胞产生和释放多种生物活性物质，如生长因子、细胞因子、蛋白酶等。这些物质可促进或抑制卵巢癌的生长，并可应用于临床诊断和治疗。我们已经建立了这种极少量生产的物质的分离和表征方法。人卵巢癌细胞系在无血清培养基中培养和生化处理是阐明卵巢癌生长调控机制的有效途径。

The prognosis of ovarian cancer is the worst (the 5 year survival rate 35%) among gynecologic cancers. Several factors are considered to contribute the worst prognosis. (1) Silent (no symptom) disease, (2)no method to diagnose early stage, (3) many histologic types.On the other hand, ovarian cancer cells produce and shedd many kinds of biologically active substances such as growth factors, cytokines, and proteases. These substances may promote or inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer and are applied to the clinical diagnosis and treatment.We have established the methodology of isolation and characterization of such substances that are produced in extremely small amount. Both culture of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines in serum-free medium and biochemical procedures are useful approach to elucidate the growth regulatory mechanisms of ovarian cancer.