Measuring Total Inhibin by Mass Spectrometry Analysis as a Detection Method for Ovarian Cancer

This thesis focuses on two subtypes of ovarian cancer: granulosa cell tumour (GCT) and mucinous tumour. The first aim was to establish a methodology using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to detect total inhibin with enhanced sensitivity in serum. However, it was not successful in detecting total inhibin in serum. Instead, it analysed many sample preparation techniques to enhance protein sensitivity in sera and compared the benefits and limitations of each method to achieve detection in low abundant proteins. The second aim was to investigate the localisation of inhibin alpha in the mucinous tumour using mass spectrometry imaging. Lastly, molecular profiles of GCT were investigated using mass spectrometry imaging to understand the molecular profiles of these tumours specifically in the universal lipid and proteomic profiles.