Method of detecting gynecological carcinomas

Abstract

Methods for detecting or diagnosing gynecological carcinomas in a patient are provided. One method The method, which involves assaying for the presence of lysophosphatidic acid in a plasma sample of the patient, is useful for detecting ovarian carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, and peritoneal carcinoma. In a preferred embodiment the method comprises: providing a blood specimen from the patient, obtaining a plasma sample for the blood specimen under conditions which minimize the release of lysophosphatidic acid from the platelets in the blood specimen into the plasma, extracting lipids from the plasma, and detecting the presence of lysophosphatidic acid in the lipid. Another method involves assaying for the presence of lysophosphatidyl inositol in a bodily fluid, preferably plasma, from the subject.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of detecting the presence of ovarian carcinoma in a subject comprising the following steps: 
 (a) providing a blood specimen from the subject;    (b) preparing a plasma sample from said blood specimen; and    (c) detecting the presence of lysophosphatidic acid in said plasma sample.    
     
     
         2 . method of diagnosing a gynecological carcinoma in a subject comprising: 
 (a) preparing a plasma sample from a blood specimen from the subject; and    (b) assaying for the presence of lysophosphatidic acid in said sample,    wherein the presence of lysophosphatidic acid in said sample is indicative of a gynecological carcinoma in said subject.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the step of determining the level of lysophosphatidic acid in the blood of the subject to provide a test value and comparing the test value to a standard value, wherein a test value above the standard value is indicative of a gynecological carcinoma in the subject.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the gynecological carcinoma is selected from the group consisting of ovarian carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, endometerial carcinoma, and peritoneal carcinoma.  
     
     
         5 . A method of diagnosing ovarian carcinoma in a subject comprising: assaying for the presence of lysophosphatidyl inositol in a bodily fluid from the subject; wherein the presence of lysophosphatidyl inositol in said bodily fluid is indicative of ovarian carcinoma in said subject.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said bodily fluid is blood.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said bodily fluid is plasma.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of determining the level of lysophosphatidyl inositol in said bodily fluid to provide a test value and comparing the test value to a standard value, wherein a test value above the standard value is indicative of ovarian carcinoma.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of determining the level of lysphosphatidic acid in said fluid to provide a combined test value, wherein the combined test value is based on the level of lysphosphatidic acid and the level of lysophosphatidyl inositol in said bodily fluid; and comparing the combined test value to a combined standard value, wherein a combined test value above the combined standard value is indicative of 6ovarian carcinoma.