New Blood Test Could Catch Ovarian Cancer Early

A simple new blood test could accurately detect ovarian cancer in its early stages, according to scientists.

Credit: University of Manchester

This could provide a potentially life-saving intervention for women who get the disease. A research team at the University of Manchester trialled the test and found it was able to find tell-tale markers in the blood which are usually hard to detect. The Manchester study ran alongside another in Colorado to test women with early stage symptoms.

The test looks for signs of ovarian cancer in those showing vague symptoms of the disease and then uses machine learning to identify patterns in the blood that are consistent with ovarian cancer. In the US trial, the test exhibited an accuracy of 93 percent across all stages of ovarian cancer and 91 percent for early-stage disease. In the UK trial, it also performed well, with an accuracy of 92 percent for all-stages of ovarian cancer and 88 percent for early-stage disease. By any measure, very promising early results.

The joint results have been published in a study with those behind the research saying that the test - developed by diagnostics company AOA - could be a life-saver for the more than 300,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.

Prof Emma Crosbie of the University of Manchester said that the test “has the potential to significantly improve patient care and outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer”. Further trials are now being prepared.

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