The FDA has approved the first blood test that can be used before surgery or biopsy to indicate the likelihood of ovarian cancer, even when radiological tests fail to detect it. The test known as OVA1 was developed by Vermillion Inc. together with Quest Diagnostics and researchers at The Johns Hopkins University.

OVA1 checks the levels of five proteins that change when a person has ovarian cancer and based on a simplified score determines if the pelvic mass is malignant. It is intended for patients already selected for surgery due to pelvic mass.

The FDA stresses that the test cannot provide a definitive diagnosis for ovarian cancer, and should therefore be used used only to compliment rather than replace other procedures. However, this test does improve the outlook for those with ovarian cancer, since it gives health-care providers more information with which to make medical decisions that reduce surgical complications and can improve survival rates.

Ovarian cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among women, so finding ways to improve the survival rate is extremely important.