SCIENTISTS FIND A BLOOD WARNING SIGN THAT COULD CATCH OVARIAN CANCER BEFORE IT STARTS
For years, ovarian cancer has carried a frightening reputation as the cancer that whispers.
Now scientists say they have found a signal in the blood that appears at its very earliest, precancerous stage, long before a tumour forms.
The research, published in the journal Nature Medicine on November 10, is still at an early stage.
But it offers real hope for one of the hardest cancers to catch in time.
Why ovarian cancer is so hard to find early
Around 1,500 women in Australia are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, according to Cancer Council.
There is currently no reliable screening test for it.
Many women are surprised to learn that a cervical screening test, the check that replaced the old Pap smear, does not detect ovarian cancer at all.
The symptoms can also be vague and easy to brush off, which is why so many cases are found late.
What the researchers discovered
The study was led by scientists at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute in California, working with international partners over eight years.
They focused on a tiny, microscopic stage called serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma, or STIC for short.
It is now understood that many cases of the most common and aggressive form of ovarian cancer, high-grade serous ovarian cancer, begin as these small changes in the fallopian tubes.
STIC cannot be seen on scans and is not picked up by standard cancer blood tests.
At the moment it is usually only discovered by chance, when a woman has her tubes or ovaries removed for another reason.
The team identified a molecule in the blood, which they named Tu-Stroma, that was raised in women with STIC and in women with early-stage cancer.
In simple terms, it is linked to the way a growing cancer weakens the healthy cells around it to make room for itself.
The promising numbers
In the group of samples used to check the results, the marker picked up STIC in 92.3 per cent of women who had it, according to the announcement from Hoag.
It also correctly cleared 98.2 per cent of healthy women.
When the researchers modelled how it might work in a group of women at high risk, negative results were correct nearly every time.
Lead researcher Dr Rajan Gogna made the point that ovarian cancer begins well before the day a tumour is found.
His colleague Dr Esha Madan said the ultimate aim was not just earlier detection but stopping invasive cancer from developing at all.
An important reality check on ovarian cancer testing
Before anyone rushes to ask for this test, it is worth knowing that it is not available yet.
The study looked back at blood samples that had already been collected from women whose diagnoses were known.
The test has not been clinically validated, and the researchers say the next step is to follow women forward in time.
That will include women with and without a higher genetic risk, such as those who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene changes.
Only after those studies will we know whether it works well enough to be used in everyday care.
Still, it is a hopeful step for a disease that has seen far fewer breakthroughs in early detection than breast or bowel cancer.
What you can do now
While science catches up, the best thing you can do is know your body and notice what is normal for you.
Cancer Council lists possible signs including bloating or a swollen tummy, pain in the abdomen, pelvis or back, and feeling full quickly or losing your appetite.
Changes in your bowel habits, unexplained weight change and indigestion can also be signs.
These symptoms are common and are usually caused by something far less serious.
But if they are new, keep coming back or simply do not feel right, speak to your GP.
It is also worth knowing your family history, as a strong history of ovarian or breast cancer can point to an inherited risk.
If that rings true for you, ask your GP whether genetic counselling or testing is a good idea.
For so many families, news of a possible early warning signal is very welcome.
