Promising Breakthrough: New Blood Test for Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer

Novel Blood Test Shows 91% Accuracy in Detecting Ovarian Cancer

New blood test for ovarian cancer is 91% accurate!

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Ovarian cancer, ranking as the third most common gynecological cancer worldwide in 2020, has posed significant challenges for early diagnosis and treatment¹ ².
With the majority of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the lack of reliable screening tests, the survival rate for ovarian cancer has been disproportionately low³.
In an exciting development, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have developed an experimental blood test that can distinguish between cancerous and benign pelvic masses with up to 91% accuracy⁴ ⁵.

Detecting ovarian cancer at an early stage has been notoriously difficult, primarily because its symptoms often mimic those of other common conditions like menstrual cycle discomfort or urinary tract infections⁶.
Additionally, ovarian tumors are challenging to identify during pelvic exams, as they are deep within the abdominal cavity and tend not to spread to other parts of the body⁷.
Currently, there is no specific screening test available for ovarian cancer⁸.

Dr. Bodour Salhia and her team at the Keck School of Medicine developed the OvaPrint test, a new blood test that utilizes a cell-free DNA methylation liquid biopsy approach to detect various types of early-stage cancers, including the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer⁹.
By searching for specific alterations in circulating DNA that indicate the presence of ovarian cancer, the OvaPrint test achieved an impressive accuracy rate of up to 91% in distinguishing cancerous pelvic masses from benign ones¹⁰.

Apart from the difficulties in diagnosing ovarian cancer, determining the nature of an abnormal growth before surgical intervention has been a challenge¹¹.
With additional information provided by the OvaPrint test, doctors can determine the best course of treatment based on whether the pelvic mass is cancerous or benign¹² ¹³.

While the initial results are promising, further validation studies involving a larger patient population are necessary to establish the test’s efficacy and safety¹⁴.
If successful, the OvaPrint test could be commercially available for clinical use within the next two years¹⁵.
Experts in the field recognize the potential impact of a reliable ovarian cancer screening tool but caution that more research and testing are required before implementation on a broader scale¹⁶ ¹⁷.