Applications of tumor markers to the screening of endometrial and ovarian cancers

Several new trials, using tumor markers in the screening for gynecological malignancies, have been conducted. For assisting the cytological diagnosis of uterine endometrial cancers, the new EIA method using cytological specimens and the monoclonal antibody against endometrial cancer cells, MSN-1, was developed. This method could help to discriminate between cancer and normal cells, so this would result in decrease the numbers of suspicious cases on cytological diagnosis. For ovarian cancers, especially to identify high-risk groups, two carbohydrate-related antigens, CA602 and CA546, were employed. The combined use of these two markers showed a high potentiality to detect ovarian cancers. GAT (galactosyltransferase associated with tumor), an isoform of galactosyltransferase, could rescue the false-positive cases with endometriotic cysts. These new methods with tumor markers are supposed to be handy tools in the screening for gynecological malignancies.