RATIONALE: Measuring the amount of prostaglandin metabolite in urine samples and studying tissue samples in the laboratory from patients with ovarian cancer may help doctors identify and learn more about biomarkers related to ovarian cancer and may help the study of cancer in the future. PURPOSE: This laboratory study is measuring the amount of prostaglandin metabolite in urine samples from patients with ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVES: * Determine the level of prostaglandin E\_2 metabolite (PGE-M) in 24-hour urine samples collected prior to surgery or chemotherapy from patients with ovarian cancer. * Determine cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression by western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in ovarian tumor tissue samples and matched normal ovarian tissue samples, if available, from these patients. * Correlate urine PGE-M levels with corresponding tissue COX-1 and COX-2 levels in urine and tissue samples from these patients. OUTLINE: This is a pilot study. Patients submit 24-hour urine specimens prior to surgery for evaluation of urinary levels of prostaglandin E\_2 metabolite (PGE-M). Patients also undergo assessment of tissue obtained at the time of surgery, including ovarian tumor tissue, normal surface ovarian epithelium tissue (if available), and fixed tissue embedded in a paraffin block. Tissue samples are analyzed by western blot and IHC for cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
7
protein expression analysis
immunohistochemical staining of tumor tissue to measure COX-1 and COX-2 levels
Prostaglandin E2 metabolite (PGE-M) levels in 24-hour urine samples
Patients will be collect their urine for 24 hours before they undergo any surgery or chemotherapy. Researchers will measure the amount of PGE-M in the urine.
Time frame: Pre-surgical or chemotherapeutic treatment, over a 24-hour duration
COX-1 and COX-2 expression in ovarian tumor tissue and non-malignant tissue
COX-1 and COX-2 expression will be measured in samples of patients' malignant ovarian samples and matched non-malignant samples (the latter if available).
Time frame: Day of surgery
Correlation of urine PGE-M levels with tissue COX-1 and COX-2 levels
Patients' levels of urine PGE-M will be compared and contrasted with their levels of COX-1 and COX-2 in ovarian tumor tissue
Time frame: After patients' surgery
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