Alan A. Arslan, MD

Dr. Arslan research interests focus on development of novel biomarkers for early detection of ovarian cancer, the second most common cancer of female reproductive tract and the leading cause of death from gynecologic neoplasms. Dr. Arslan has been awarded a New Investigator Award from the Department of Defense to study the role of soluble Fas, a marker of impaired apoptosis, as a potential biomarker of ovarian cancer.
Growing evidence suggests that inflammation may play an important role in development of cancer. Epidemiological evidence suggests that factors causing chronic inflammation of ovarian epithelium (asbestos/talc exposure, endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease) are also associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Conversely, factors reducing local inflammation, such as tubal ligation and hysterectomy without oophorectomy, are associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer. These findings led to a hypothesis on a possible role of chronic inflammation in ovarian cancer. Dr. Arslan conducted a preliminary case-control study nested within the NYUWHS prospective cohort, which found that relative to no aspirin use, the odds ration for epithelial ovarian cancer among women who reported ever use of aspirin three or more times per week for a period of at least 6 months was 0.60 (95% confidence interval 0.26-1.38), after adjustment for age at menarche, parity, oral contraceptive use, and first-degree family history of breast cancer. The observed risk estimates are consistent with growing evidence suggesting that regular use of common anti-inflammatory drugs could be protective not only for colorectal cancer, as known previously, but also for ovarian cancer.
Dr. Arslan is a Principal Investigator of the currently ongoing NIH-funded research projects: R03 CA96428 "Biomarkers of Ovarian Cancer Risk"; R03 CA95923 "Pregnancy Hormonal Profiles as Biomarker of Breast Cancer Risk"; and R03 CA108394 "Serum Vitamin D, Genetic Polymorphisms & Ovarian Cancer".
Dr. Arslan is a co-investigator in the following active projects: "Estrogen Metabolites, Related Genes and Breast Cancer" (PI, Dr. R. Shore); "Pregnancy hormones and lifetime risk of breast cancer in mothers" (PI, Dr. P. Toniolo); "Reduction of Annexin-V in Antiphospholipid Pregnancy Loss" (PI, Dr. J. Rand).