This pilot research trial studies folate receptor in diagnosing ovarian cancer using serum samples from patients with a newly diagnosed pelvic mass or previously diagnosed ovarian cancer. Studying samples of serum from patients with ovarian cancer in the laboratory may help understand the use of folate receptor induction as a clinical tool in initial diagnosis, surveillance, and recurrence.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the pre- and post-induction correlation between soluble folate receptor and tumor-based receptor levels as a marker of malignancy in patients with newly diagnosed adnexal masses. (Arm I) II. To evaluate the ability to induce serum folate receptor (FR) with dexamethasone (Dex) and valproic acid (VPA) treatment in patients with newly diagnosed adnexal masses. (Arm I) III. To evaluate the use of the serum soluble FR as a marker for earlier detection of recurrent disease. (Arm II) IV. To evaluate the ability to induce FR with Dex and VPA in the setting of recurrent disease. (Arm II) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the expression of FR in primary versus (vs.) metastatic tumor sites in patients with ovarian malignancy undergoing Dex and VPA induction and correlate expression with other markers associated with malignancy (marker of proliferation Ki-67 \[Ki67\], cancer antigen \[CA\]-125, etc.). II. To analyze the correlation between gluco-corticoid receptor (GR) levels and serum FR induction efficacy. III. To examine global, downstream targets of GR and FR induction in patient samples undergoing treatment with Dex and VPA. OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I (INDUCTION): Patients receive valproic acid orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days -7 to -3 and once daily (QD) on day -2 and dexamethasone PO QD on days -5 and -2 and BID on days -4 and -3. Patients undergo collection of serum and tissue samples for analysis via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) at baseline, time of surgery, and 7-14 days after surgery. ARM II (SURVEILLANCE AND RECURRENCE): Patients receive valproic acid PO BID on days -7 to -3 and QD on day -2 and dexamethasone PO QD on days -5 and -2 and BID on days -4 and -3. Patients undergo collection of serum and tissue samples for analysis via PCR and IHC at the time of clinically suspected recurrence, 2 days after completion of induction, and 7-14 days after induction.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
50
Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Bay Region, Bay City
Bay City, Michigan, United States
Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Arm I: To evaluate the ability to increase serum Folate Receptor (FR) levels in patients with newly diagnosed adnexal masses or ovarian cancer utilizing Dexamethasone (DEX) and Valproic Acid (VA).
FR will be measured in the serum of patients utilizing a standardized tritiated folate/charcoal binding assay pre- and post-drug administration. This will be measured to the femto-molar level. Two sided t-tests will be utilized as a baseline statistical analysis to determine the efficacy of induction in this setting.
Time frame: Up to 14 days after induction
Arm I: To evaluate the utility of serum FR to distinguish between patients with benign masses or malignancy.
Folate receptor levels in patients with benign and malignant conditions will be compared utilizing receiver operator curves for both pre- and post-induction levels to determine if soluble folate receptor can be utilized as a tumor marker in newly diagnosed adnexal masses and/or ovarian cancer. Both two-sided t tests and ROC curve analysis will be utilized in this portion of the analysis.
Time frame: Up to 14 days after surgery
Arm II: To evaluate the use of the serum soluble FR as a marker for earlier detection of recurrent disease.
Patients are to be followed during surveillance period for a history of know ovarian carcinoma with serum FR in addition to CA-125. FR will again be measured in the serum of patients utilizing a standardized tritiated folate/charcoal binding assay. This will be measured to the femto-molar level. ROC curve analysis will be performed to evaluate the efficacy of baseline Folate Receptor in early detection of relapse and compared to standard tumor markers such as CA-125.
Time frame: Up to 14 days after induction
Arm II: To evaluate the ability to increase serum FR levels with DEX and VA in the setting of recurrent disease.
If recurrence is suspected, this portion of Arm 2 is meant to determine if serum levels of FR can be artificially increased in the recurrent setting utilizing DEX and VA above baseline recurrent levels. FR will be measured in the serum of patients utilizing a standardized tritiated folate/charcoal binding assay pre- and post-drug administration. This will be measured to the femto-molar level. Two side t-tests will be utilized to determine the efficacy of induction in this setting.
Time frame: Up to 14 days after surgery
Arm I: To evaluate expression of FR via immunohistochemistry in primary vs. metastatic tumor sites in patients with ovarian malignancy undergoing DEX & VA induction and determine if this correlates with other known markers associated with malignancy.
Two sided independent t-tests will be performed to compare the expression of FR in primary vs metastatic tumor sites. Pearson's correlation coefficients will be calculated to evaluate the associations between serum FR and existing markers such as Ki67 and CA-125.
Time frame: Up to day 14
Arm I: To examine downstream targets of GR and FR induction in patient samples undergoing treatment with DEX and VA via global mRNA analysis and proteomic modalities.
Achieved by utilizing such techniques (but not limited to) as transcriptome analysis and whole genome Chip analysis.
Time frame: Up to day 14
Arm I: To analyze the correlation between GR level as noted by immunohistochemistry and serum FR induction efficacy with DEX and VA.
Pearson's correlation coefficients will be calculated to evaluate the associations between serum Folate receptor levels and tissue based glucocorticoid receptors.
Time frame: Up to day 14
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