Blood test detects ovarian cancer early

[flashl]

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., say they developed a blood test to detect early-stage ovarian cancer with 99 percent accuracy.

Dr. Gil Mor says epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer deaths in the United States, and is three times more lethal than breast cancer, but is often not diagnosed until its advanced stages.

The phase II clinical trial led by Mor included 500 patients -- 350 healthy controls and 150 ovarian cancer patients. Mor and colleagues validated the previous research -- which showed 95 percent effectiveness -- and used a new platform called multiplex technology to simplify the test into one single reaction using very small amounts of serum from the blood.

The new platform uses six protein biomarkers instead of four, increasing the specificity of the test from 95 percent to 99.4 percent, Mor said.

UPI

[Zookeeper]

1. That is great news!

Ovarian cancer is so frightening because by the time there are symptoms, it has advanced to a very serious stage.

I hope doctors will adopt this test quickly.

[melody]

2. Fabulous - thanks for posting this. This will save a lot of lives n/t

[dropkickpa]

3. Fantastic

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer are often dismissed by both patients and doctors. Early detection is a MUST with this deadly disease, and this will help.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Great news!

Ovarian cancer can be readily cured if discovered at an early stage, but too often it isn't discovered till it's spread, due to lack of early symptoms.

I know someone whose early ovarian cancer was discovered accidentally, during investigations for something else. She had an operation, and is alive and well 16 years later. Perhaps this blood test will mean that many more people will be lucky enough to be diagnosed at such an early stage.