MUC16 (CA125): tumor biomarker to cancer therapy, a work in progress

Over three decades have passed since the first report on the expression of CA125 by ovarian tumors. Since that time our understanding of ovarian cancer biology has changed significantly to the point that these tumors are now classified based on molecular phenotype and not purely on histological attributes. However, CA125 continues to be, with the recent exception of HE4, the only clinically reliable diagnostic marker for ovarian cancer. Many large-scale clinical trials have been conducted or are underway to determine potential use of serum CA125 levels as a screening modality or to distinguish between benign and malignant pelvic masses. CA125 is a peptide epitope of a 3-5 million Da mucin, MUC16. Here we…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Defense

  Awards: W81XWH, W81XWH-04-1-0102
• CA
  Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation
• UO
  University of Wisconsin-Madison
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: 1R21CA143616-01, W81XWH, CA14520