DOWNLOAD THE RECRUITMENT PACKAGE IN YOUR LANGUAGE
English [PDF]
Traditional Chinese (正體字) [PDF]
Simplified Chinese (简化字) [PDF]
Spanish (Español) [PDF]

Ovarian Cancer Early Diagnosis Project

A collaboration with Professor Touradj Solouki, PhD, of Baylor University

PATIENT RECRUITMENT
We invite you to be a research volunteer, to help in the discovery of a new non-invasive test for ovarian cancer. If you are a woman who either:

» Has newly diagnosed or recurrent biopsy-confirmed ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer, and has not yet begun treatment, or…
» Has been previously treated and now have a rising CA-125 but has not yet resumed treatment…

We would like to obtain samples of your exhaled breath. We will analyze those breath samples for substances called biomarkers that may be useful in diagnosing these medical problems.

120 women are needed to participate in this research trial.

Our primary goal is to analyze samples of exhaled breath for molecules that could identify ovarian cancer. We will collect samples of exhaled breath using a simple noninvasive device. Those exhaled breath samples will be analyzed using both a chemical method called GC/MS and a biological method (professionally trained dogs). Note: You will not be “sniffed” by the dogs directly. They will be sniffing the breath sample you provide, at a different location.

You may have heard of our prior work using dogs to detect lung and breast cancer, broadcast on CNN and the Discovery Channel.

Our team will be the first to use analysis of exhaled breath to research the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. We expect that this work will lead to progress in the way epithelial ovarian cancer is detected and diagnosed

It is simple and it is easy to participate. We ask only that you visit our research office, to breathe into our simple, safe, and non-invasive collection device. We will also ask you to have your doctor send us some of your medical records.

The study will last two years, and will involve up to 4 visits to San Anselmo, California. A travel stipend of up to $25 per visit will be provided if requested.

To learn more about this clinical research study, please contact us.

This research is sponsored by the Congressionally Mandated Medical Research Program. This study is being conducted by the Pine Street Foundation in collaboration with the University of Maine and UCSF. Our research is governed by strict ethical guidelines as set forth by our Institutional Review Board.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE AS A PATIENT OR CONTROL
1. Download and read the recruitment package:
English [PDF]
Traditional Chinese (正體字) [PDF]
Simplified Chinese (简化字) [PDF]
Spanish (Español) [PDF]

2. Complete and Return the Questionairre (enclosed in the recruitment package) to the Pine Street Foundation

IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR ARE UNABLE TO DOWNLOAD THE RECRUITMENT PACKAGE, PLEASE CALL OUR RECRUITMENT HOTLINE AT (415) 407-1357 or SEND A MESSAGE:

[contact-form-7]

We are doing this with sophisticated chemical analysis at Dr. Solouki’s University of Maine laboratory and with a team of trained dogs at the Pine Street Foundation’s offices in California. We also hope the results of our research will help to predict whether a woman’s ovarian cancer will recur after treatment or become resistant to treatment.

Recruitment Update
So far, over 200 women have contacted us seeking to become enrolled in the study. Of those, 94 are currently eligible and include 13 women with ovarian cancer, 54 healthy controls, and 7 controls with endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Study enrollment is still open for non-smoking women who have ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (newly diagnosed or recurrent), endometriosis, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Click here to find out how you can donate a sample of your breath.

Canine Update
At the Pine Street Foundation’s training location, we have been training a team of five dogs, all of whom have reached the most advanced level of our training program. We will soon begin the post-training testing phase of the program, where we’ll be gathering the data that will be reported in scientific publications.

Laboratory Update
Dr. Solouki and his team at the University of Maine have worked diligently to continue to push the sensitivity of the analytical equipment, further increasing our ability to detect meaningful ovarian cancer biomarkers at ever lower concentrations. Dr. Solouki recently joined Michael McCulloch, the Pine Street Foundation’s Director of Research, at a conference sponsored by the Canary Foundation to present a poster session on our exhaled breath analysis study.

How You Can Become Involved
This study is open for enrollment until December 31, 2009. You can also become involved in the study by volunteering to donate a sample of your breath as either a patient or control, work with the dogs, or by making a donating to our research program.

Johanna Altgelt, Kirk Turner, Michael McCulloch, Kathy O’Brien, and Jett Gulbronsen pose with Tessy and Captain Jennings at the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, California

Tessy, a three-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, sniffs at boxes containing breath samples from women with ovarian cancer and from healthy controls and determines which is which

Tessy closes in on which breath sample was given by a woman with ovarian cancer

A breath sample cartridge inside a weighted training box