Researchers Are One Step Closer to Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Test

By Liam Bleakley

Cancer is one of the most serious health-related issues experienced across the world. Ovarian cancer ranks as the 18th most common cancer worldwide and the 8th most common amongst women, but many of these cases are discovered in later stages when treatment options are limited and invasive. Luckily, all this could be changing soon — researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia are inching closer to developing the world’s first early detection test for ovarian cancer. The University of New South Wales Gynecological Cancer Research Group (GCRG) has developed a unique signature that can detect miniscule amounts of DNA released into the blood which could allow for the detection of major types of ovarian cancer. The development comes after the discovery of three DNA biomarkers which can be used to detect all major types of ovarian cancer. Anyone in the healthcare industry, like those who have completed online accelerated BSN programs, knows the anxieties and difficulties faced by patients when receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, as well as those who undergo invasive surgery to test for it. With this breakthrough, those days could be over sooner than we think, provided clinical trials are approved. 

The Current Diagnostic Landscape: Invasive and Inaccurate

When a patient is tested for ovarian cancer, two procedures are generally carried out during the screening process. The transvaginal ultrasound, or TVUS, uses sound waves to look at the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, and can be used to find a mass in the ovary, but cannot tell if it is benign or malignant. According to the American Cancer Society, when it is used for screening, most of the masses found are not cancerous. The other screening test is the CA-125 blood test, which measures the levels of CA-125, a protein in the blood. Many women with ovarian cancer have high levels of CA-125. However, not everyone who has this type of cancer will have elevated CA-125 levels in their bloodstream, and it can also be caused by common health conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis.

Currently, surgery is the only definitive way to confirm the presence of ovarian cancer. The GCRG-developed test uses subtle changes in a patient’s DNA to detect the presence of cancer. When tumor cells die, they release small fragments of DNA into the blood, which can be detected to return reliable results. The team has spent years investigating changes in DNA related to endometriosis, menopause, and menstruation to ensure that the false positives of the CA-125 test are not repeated with their novel approach, which could lead to massive changes in the way the condition is caught and treated. 

Potential Impacts of Discovery

The benefits of an early detection test cannot be overstated. If ovarian cancer can be detected early in its first stage, the survival rate could leap to a staggering 90%. This could be truly life-saving research. Currently, more than 310,000 women around the world are diagnosed with the disease annually, and more than half will pass away within five years of being diagnosed. Interventions, improved outcomes, and fewer deaths are just a handful of the potential benefits this new detection method could have if it passes clinical trials. In addition, the test would mean that invasive diagnostic procedures would be used more sparingly, decreasing the physical and emotional trauma associated with these procedures, and the lifelong effects they can have. 

Cost is also a huge factor in diagnosis, especially in the United States. The GCRG test would only require a blood draw and PCR analysis, making it far more accessible, accurate, and precise compared to anything else currently available. This cost-effective test could be implemented on a global scale and deployed in areas without expensive imaging or specialized medical equipment. If the test became the de-facto way to screen for ovarian cancer, it could revolutionize the way the condition is diagnosed and treated, leading to thousands of lives saved.

Discovery to Clinical Trials: What’s Next?

While the discovery of the three DNA biomarkers is garnering significant attention in the scientific community, more work is on the horizon before the test becomes available for routine clinical use. Currently, the research team is focused on refining the PCR-based test to make it as accurate and sensitive as possible to the three “golden” DNA biomarkers. Dr. Caroline Ford, the head of the GCRG, emphasized how important precision is when developing the test. As we have explored with the currently available tests for ovarian cancer, false positives can lead to unnecessary surgeries, which could exacerbate the issues that the test aims to remedy.

The group hopes to take the test to human-based clinical trials by 2026. Australia is a go-to destination for clinical trials with their streamlined regulatory approval system, grants, and attractive incentives for startups and pharmaceutical companies. For example, US Biotech startup Earli chose Australia to research and test similar cancer detection technology in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and claimed that it reduced development timeline estimates by at least six months due to its large clinical trials network. Hopefully, given the importance of this discovery, we will see the test pass trials with flying colors and hit the market so ovarian cancer can be detected quickly, accurately, and at a low cost.

For anybody at risk of ovarian cancer, or those currently undergoing diagnostic procedures, this discovery offers hope. With this tool’s successful development, the importance of women’s health research would be highlighted on a global scale, which is sorely needed given the historical lack of research and funding into women’s healthcare. With increased focus on conditions like ovarian cancer, we could see more breakthroughs in detection for other kinds of cancers that will similarly save lives and improve health outcomes for women everywhere. While there’s a lot of work to do ahead, the Gynecological Cancer Research Group breakthrough represents a significant step forward in the fight against ovarian cancer — the deadliest of all gynecological cancers.