Early detection is essential for improving ovarian cancer outcomes. When caught at stage 1, ovarian cancer survival rates can exceed 90%. Yet most cases are found after the cancer has spread, dropping survival rates to 35%.
One of the primary tools for detecting ovarian cancer is a blood test measuring CA125, a protein biomarker linked to the disease. While this test plays an important role in monitoring response and recurrence it can detect only about 50% of early-stage ovarian cancers, leaving half of cases undiagnosed. What’s more, CA125 levels can fluctuate for reasons unrelated to cancer, such as endometriosis or even normal menstrual cycles. These false positives and false negatives create significant barriers to reliable early detection.
Rebecca Whelan, Ph.D., an associate professor of chemistry at the…