Prognostic Markers of Gynecologic Cancers

This proposal seeks to retain discard pieces of human gynecologic tissues and discard ascites fluid collected during normal surgical procedures, along with corresponding blood samples and urine, for research involving prognostic markers of disease/cancer. The specific aims of the proposal include: 1. To collect discard pieces of benign, pre-malignant and malignant gynecologic tissues, discard ascites fluid and, when possible, corresponding blood and urine specimens from patients undergoing: 1. hysterectomy 2. excisions of cervical dysplasia and/or venereal warts, and 3. therapeutic excisional surgeries to remove gynecologic disease/cancer (uterine, ovarian and lower female genital tract). 4. paracentesis for the symptomatic relief of ascites fluid accumulation (distention). 2. To collect pre-operative blood and urine from patients along with pre- operative blood work drawn for clinical evaluation. 3. De-identify the patients from their donated tissue, blood and urine specimens by assigning a laboratory identification number. 4. Rapidly process and store the collected specimens to preserve biological integrity. (RNA, DNA and proteins) 5. Collect and record the patient's demographic and medical information into a research database under the assigned lab number only. 6. Assess the specimens for prognostic markers of gynecologic disease/cancer by molecular techniques such as DNA arrays,immunohistochemistry and ELISA.