Increased TP53 mutation burden in uterine lavages of patients with ovarian cancer

Current screening methods for ovarian cancer (OC) have failed to demonstrate a significant reduction in mortality. Uterine lavage for the collection of disseminated cancer cells combined with TP53 ultra-deep sequencing of lavage DNA has showed promise for the detection of high-grade serous cancer (HGSC) but this approach has not been tested for non-serous histologies or early-stage disease. The goal of this study was to combine ultra-deep sequencing of lavage DNA with an expanded panel of genes (TP53, ARID1A, PTEN, PPP2R1A, CDKN2A, KRAS, CTNNB1, PIK3CA, and BRAF) for improved detection of OC including early stage and non-serous histologies. This research is relevant because it produces evidence supporting the value of the analysis of TP53 mutation burden in uterine lavage DNA as a molecular biomarker for OC risk assessment.