An Early Detection Ovarian Cancer Test Has Been Developed

28 octobre 2025

2 min de lecture

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Researchers from the USC Norris Cancer Center have developed a test system that utilizes a blood sample to distinguish malignant formations in the pelvic area from benign ones, even before the cancer moves to a dangerous stage.

Points clés

Researchers from the USC Norris Cancer Center have developed a test system that utilizes a blood sample to distinguish malignant formations in the pelvic area from benign ones, even before the cancer moves to a dangerous stage.
The earlier the better
Targeted approach

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Ceux qui explorent Preventive Oncology à travers ovarian cyst, cancer.

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Auteur de l'article

Dr. Natalie

Obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor

The earlier the better

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most common type of ovarian cancer. It develops slowly and asymptomatically, so it often takes years to be detected. Because of this, 85 % of women are already beyond stage I at the time of diagnosis, which significantly reduces the chances of a favorable outcome. Until now, there have been no effective ways to detect the disease at the initial stage, as biopsy is not a diagnostic method for this type of cancer.

Targeted approach

The OvaPrint test utilizes liquid biopsy, a promising new way to detect the early stages of various types of cancer. Preclinical results published in the October 2023 issue of Clinical Cancer Research show that this simple test can determine whether a pelvic mass is benign or malignant more effectively than all other existing diagnostic methods. OvaPrint's 91 % accuracy rate means it has both high sensitivity and high specificity, while most other tests are high in one and low in the other.

If final trials confirm the test's efficacy, it will be used for widespread population screening and clinical use within two years.

What you need to know about ovarian cancer

Symptoms: These are absent in the early stages, but may appear over time: bloating and pressure in the abdomen, pain in the abdomen or pelvis, a quick feeling of fullness when eating, and frequent urges to urinate.

Risk Factors: The chances of having ovarian cancer are higher in women whose relatives have had this type of cancer, breast cancer, or colon cancer. Age (especially post-menopause) and obesity are also serious risk factors.

Diagnosis: In the presence of the first symptoms, it is necessary to undergo a rectovaginal examination of the pelvic area, transvaginal ultrasound or MRI, and take a blood test for cancer marker CA-125. The tests will help identify the neoplasm. However, to determine whether it is benign or malignant, it will be necessary to perform surgery to remove the suspicious tissue and send it for biopsy.

A pelvic ultrasound should be done once a year. Additionally, the ovaries will need to be examined.

Prevention: Women who have biological children are less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who do not have biological children. The risk decreases with each subsequent pregnancy, as well as through breastfeeding. It is also lower in women who take birth control pills, especially long-term. To protect from ovarian cancer, women with a genetic predisposition to the disease sometimes have to undergo a serious procedure that includes a hysterectomy with removal of the uterus and removal of the ovaries.

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