DNA methylation of ANKRD23 as a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Aydan Alizada, Ozge S. Erdogan, Seda K. Erciyas, Betul C. Demirbas, Ozge Pasin, Ahmet Dinc, Pınar Saip, Hulya Yazici, Seref B. Tuncer

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a leading cause of gynecologic cancer-related mortality and is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages due to the absence of effective early detection tools. Epigenetic alterations, particularly DNA methylation, play a critical role in tumorigenesis and represent promising non-invasive biomarkers. This study investigated the methylation status of the ANKRD23 gene in OC and evaluated its diagnostic potential using peripheral blood samples. A total of 385 serous OC patients, 50 individuals with benign ovarian conditions, and 99 healthy controls were included. DNA methylation was assessed using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes followed by real-time PCR. ANKRD23 methylation was significantly associated with clinical stage (p = 0.029), histological grade (p = 0.009), and ethnicity (p = 0.024). Moreover, methylation levels differed significantly among OC patients, benign cases, and healthy controls (p = 0.026). These findings support blood-based ANKRD23 methylation as a promising biomarker for non-invasive ovarian cancer diagnosis and risk stratification.

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