Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, fresh frozen tumor tissue bio-specimens, cryogenically preserved sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with uterine cancer.

Moreover, the serum, plasma and PBMCs are processed from patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

Furthermore, the samples are collected from unique patients diagnosed with uterine cancer and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.

In addition, detailed clinical annotations associated with uterine cancer specimens are provided to a valued customer for research, development and drug discovery.

Uterine Cancer Overview

Uterine cancer is, in fact, the most common cancer occurring within a woman’s reproductive system. Specifically, uterine cancer begins when healthy cells in the uterus change and grow out of control, ultimately forming a mass called a tumor. Notably, a tumor can be either cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor, on the other hand, is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. Conversely, a benign tumor can grow but generally will not spread to other body parts.

Furthermore, following are the two major types of uterine cancer:

Types of Uterine Cancer

Furthermore following are the two major types of uterine cancer:

  • Adenocarcinoma: This type, indeed, makes up more than 80% of uterine cancers. It develops from cells in the endometrium.
  • Moreover, people commonly call this cancer endometrial cancer. One common endometrial adenocarcinoma subtype identifies as endometrioid carcinoma. Treatment for this type of cancer varies depending on the grade of the tumor, how far it goes into the uterus, and the stage or extent of the disease. Additionally, less common subtypes of uterine adenocarcinomas include serous, clear cell, and carcinosarcoma. Importantly, carcinosarcoma is a mixture of adenocarcinoma and sarcoma.
  • Sarcoma: This type of uterine cancer develops in the supporting tissues of the uterine glands or, alternatively, in the myometrium, which is the uterine muscle. Notably, sarcoma accounts for about 2% to 4% of uterine cancers. Furthermore, subtypes of endometrial sarcoma include leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma.

Uterine Cancer Genetics

A higher risk for uterine cancers can be an inherited disorder, meaning it is passed from generation to generation; however, it may skip a generation to appear in the next. This happens about 5% of the time.

Moreover, the syndrome most commonly associated with inherited uterine cancer is called Lynch syndrome. In addition, several other types of cancer, including types of colon, kidney, bladder, and ovarian cancers, also associate with Lynch syndrome.

When cells divide and multiply, DNA errors can occur. Consequently, there are six proteins in the body that fix these errors. If one of these proteins does not work properly, errors in the DNA can accumulate and yield enough DNA damage that cancer may develop. This problem with DNA repair identifies as mismatch repair defect (dMMR). Therefore, the main sign of Lynch syndrome is dMMR.

Lynch Syndrome

Furthermore, cancer can be tested for Lynch syndrome through a special staining process called immunohistochemistry (IHC). Most cases of Lynch syndrome are due to deficiencies in one of four DNA repair proteins.

Importantly, only these four proteins are routinely tested by IHC. If IHC shows that your cancer lacks one of these DNA repair proteins or if you have a family history of a cancer associated with Lynch syndrome, then you may warrant further evaluation.

However, IHC is a screening test; consequently, further genetic tests are needed to confirm a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome. Notably, not all patients who have a tumor which lacks one or more of these DNA repair proteins have Lynch syndrome.

In fact, the changes can also be due to a process called DNA methylation, which typically silences one of the more common dMMR genes in the tumor.

Furthermore, family members may wish to be tested, too. Therefore, people affected by Lynch syndrome should tell their doctors so they can receive increased screening for Lynch-associated cancers, such as more frequent colonoscopies. Additionally, other family members may consider preventive surgery for uterine and ovarian cancers.

Signs and Symptoms of Uterine Cancer

Following are the common signs and symptoms of uterine cancer. Women patients may experience the following symptoms or signs, however sometimes, women with uterine cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.

  • Unusual vaginal bleeding, spotting, or discharge. For premenopausal women, this includes menorrhagia, which is an abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding, and/or abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB).
  •  Abnormal results from a Pap test
  • Pain in the pelvic areaThe most common symptom of endometrial cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, ranging from a watery and blood-streaked flow to a flow that contains more blood. Vaginal bleeding during or after menopause is often a sign of a problem. 

Risk Factors of Uterine Cancer

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.

The following factors may raise a woman’s risk of developing uterine cancer:

  • Age: Uterine cancer  most often occurs in women over 50. The average age at diagnosis is 60. Uterine cancer is not common in women younger than 45 years of age.
  • Obesity: Fatty tissue in women who are overweight produces additional estrogen, a sex hormone
    that can increase the risk of uterine cancer. This risk increases with an increase in body mass index (BMI), which is the ratio of a person’s weight to height. About 70% of uterine cancer cases link to obesity.
  • Race: White women are more likely to develop uterine cancer compared with women of other ethnicities. However, advanced uterine cancer has a higher chance of being diagnosed in Black women. Black women and Hispanic women also have a higher risk of developing aggressive tumors.
  • Genetics: Uterine cancer may run in families where colon cancer is hereditary. Women in families with Lynch syndrome, also called hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), have a higher risk for uterine cancer. The guidelines recommend that all women under the age of 70 with endometrial cancer should have their tumor tested for Lynch syndrome, even if they have no family history of colon cancer or other cancers. The presence of Lynch syndrome has important implications for women and their family members. About 2% to 5% of women with endometrial cancer have Lynch syndrome. In the United States, about 1,000 to 2,500 women diagnosed with endometrial cancer each year may have this genetic condition.
  • Diabetes: Women may have an increased risk of uterine cancer if they have diabetes, which is often associated with obesity.

Additional Risk Factors

  • Other cancers: Women who have had breast cancer, colon cancer, or ovarian cancer may have an increased risk of uterine cancer.
  • Tamoxifen: Women taking the drug tamoxifen (Nolvadex) to prevent or treat breast cancer have an increased risk of developing uterine cancer. The benefits of tamoxifen usually outweigh the risk of developing uterine cancer.
  • Radiation therapy: Women who have had previous radiation therapy for another cancer in the pelvic area, which is the lower part of the abdomen between the hip bones, have an increased risk of uterine cancer.
  • Diet/nutrition: Women who eat foods high in animal fat may have an increased risk of uterine cancer.
  • Estrogen: Extended exposure to estrogen and/or an imbalance of estrogen is related to many of the following risk factors:
    • Women who started having their periods before the age 12 and/or go through menopause later in life.
    • Women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause, especially if they are taking estrogen alone. The risk is lower for women who take estrogen with progesterone, which is another sex hormone.
    • Women who have never been pregnant.

Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer

The following tests may be used to diagnose uterine cancer in addition to the patients physical examination:

  • Pelvic examination: The doctor feels the uterus, vagina, ovaries, and rectum to check for any unusual findings. A Pap test, often done with a pelvic examination, is primarily used to check for cervical cancer. Sometimes a Pap test may find abnormal glandular cells, which are caused by uterine cancer.
  • Endometrial Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that  cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. A pathologist analyzes the sample(s). A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells and tissue samples to diagnose disease.For an endometrial biopsy, the doctor removes a small sample of tissue with a very thin tube. The tube is inserted into the uterus through the cervix, and the tissue is removed with suction. This process takes a few minutes. Afterward, the woman may have cramps and vaginal bleeding. These symptoms should go away soon and can be reduced by taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) as directed by the doctor. Endometrial biopsy is often a very accurate way to diagnose uterine cancer. People who have abnormal vaginal bleeding before the test may still need a dilation and curettage (D&C; see below), even if no abnormal cells are found during the biopsy.
  • Dilation and curettage (D&C): A D&C is a procedure to remove tissue samples from the uterus. 

Additional Tests

  • Transvaginal ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of internal organs. In a transvaginal ultrasound, an ultrasound wand is inserted into the vagina and aimed at the uterus to take pictures. If the endometrium looks too thick, the doctor may decide to perform a biopsy.
  • Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan: A CT scan takes pictures of the inside of the body using x-rays taken from different angles. A computer combines these pictures into a detailed, 3-dimensional image that shows any abnormalities or tumors. A CT scan can be used to measure the tumor’s size. Sometimes, a special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan to provide better detail on the image. This dye can be injected into a patient’s vein or given as a pill or liquid to swallow.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body. MRI can be used to measure the tumor’s size. Like with a CT scan, a special dye called a contrast medium can be given intravenously or orally before the scan to create a clearer picture. MRI is very useful for getting detailed images if the treatment plan will include hormone management. MRI is often used in women with low-grade uterine cancer to see how far the cancer has grown into the wall of the uterus. Knowing this can help determine whether a woman’s fertility can be preserved.
  • Molecular testing of the tumor: Your doctor may recommend running laboratory tests on a tumor sample to identify specific genes, proteins, and other factors unique to the tumor. Results of these tests can help determine your treatment options.

 

Biospecimens

biospecimens

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Moreover, human biospecimens are available including tumor tissue, serum, plasma and PBMC samples from most other therapeutic areas.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and likewise normal healthy donors for controls. Additionally, available in all formats and types.

In fact, our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples, human biofluids such as serum samples, plasma samples from various diseases and matched controls.

Also, all our human tissue collections, human biospecimens and human biofluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

In fact, this critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Additionally, researchers find the patient’s data associated with the human biospecimens extremely valuable and use it to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, as well as in other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and human biological samples, including fresh frozen human biospecimens cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as human serum, human plasma and human PBMCs.

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) and human biofluids from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

Moreover, we can also procure most human biospecimens and human biofluids, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples and human biofluids are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human biofluids such as  human plasma, human serum, and human PBMCs bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols; you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.

Bay Biosciences also provides human biospecimens from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, Contact us Now.