Early detection and better diagnostics can improve outcomes for women with ovarian cancer
Being diagnosed with cancer is a life-changing event, but the earlier you are diagnosed, the more likely you are to have a full recovery.
Ovarian cancer has proved tricky to detect, however. There are no signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer at the early stages, and the American Cancer Society reports that only about 20 percent of cases are caught early.
When ovarian cancer is detected early, before it spreads, 90 percent of women can fully recover. That’s why improving early detection is so essential.
How can you get better testing for ovarian cancer and avoid being caught by surprise? This guide will help you understand this dangerous cancer and how women in the New York area can have a better chance of early detection.
How to diagnose ovarian cancer
Screenings for ovarian cancer are challenging and may not detect cancer 100 percent of the time. Your doctor will start with a full pelvic exam and then may do a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test.
The transvaginal ultrasound can help find out if you have a mass or tumor in your ovaries, but you’ll need further testing to determine if the mass is cancerous or benign. The CA-125 blood test checks the amount of protein CA-125 in your blood. This marker can be elevated if you have ovarian cancer, but it can also be elevated due to other conditions as well. However, not everyone with ovarian cancer has a high CA-125 level.
Race is another factor in ovarian cancer detection. Black women, in particular, display a much lower level of CA-125 than white women, which can mean the blood test is less helpful for them.
We recommend OVA1plus as an alternative screening method that can give better testing for ovarian cancer to women of all races. This test is available for women in the New York area at OvaLab, located in Harlem, and is covered by Medicaid.
OvaLab’s OVA1plus test has a superior rate of detection of ovarian cancer over CA-125 in Black women, especially.
- OVA1 has a16.7 – 46 percent higher rate of detection (sensitivity) for ovarian malignancy vs. CA-125 in Black women.
- OVA1 has a 25 percent higher rate of detection (sensitivity) for ovarian malignancy vs. ROMA (CA-125 & HE4) in white women.
How OvaLab’s ovarian cancer test improves diagnosis for Black women
Instead of relying only on the CA-125 blood marker, the OVA1plus test uses multiple variables to create an overall profile of your risk of having ovarian cancer.
As a result, the OVA1plus test is more accurate for non-white women, especially Black women, since they naturally have lower levels of CA-125. An abnormal result on the OVA1plus means that you need to see a gynecologic oncology specialist who can perform a biopsy.
There’s no reason that any woman should have to suffer lower health outcomes due to poor testing. The OVA1plus ovarian cancer risk profile can help all women in the New York area to get an accurate assessment of malignancy, especially in the early stages of ovarian cancer.
The OVA1plus test is better testing for ovarian cancer that brings peace of mind, with 96 percent sensitivity of malignancy with clinical assessment and a 98 percent negative predictive value.
What is ovarian cancer?
Until recently, ovarian cancer was thought to begin in the ovaries. However, evidence now suggests that the most common and dangerous form of this cancer starts as small groups of abnormal cells in the fallopian tubes.
When abnormal cells begin to grow rapidly, they form tumors. Tumors can be non-cancerous (benign), borderline (low malignant potential) or cancerous (malignant). When borderline or cancerous tumors spread, it can be fatal.
Ovarian cancers are named based on where the tumor originates. The most common are formed on the outside of the ovary and are called ovarian epithelial tumors. In fact, 85 – 95 percent of malignant ovarian cancers come from epithelial tumors. Malignant epithelial tumors are called carcinomas.
There are four types of cancerous epithelial tumors, with serous being the most common at 52 percent. Endometrioid carcinomas represent 10 percent, and clear cell and mucinous carcinomas each represent 6 percent of ovarian cancers.
Your doctor will also evaluate how abnormal the tumor tissue is and give a grade from 1 to 3, with one having the best prognosis. There are also two types of tumors, categorized by how fast they grow and how they respond to chemotherapy.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer
Because ovarian cancer often doesn’t have symptoms until the late stages, you might not know you have it unless you do regular ovarian cancer screening. However, sometimes these symptoms appear in the early stages as well.
While these symptoms may have other causes, if they are persistent and a change from normal, it’s important to be tested so you can get to the root of the problem:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Urinary symptoms such as having to urinate often or feeling like you always have to urinate
- Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
- Fatigue
- Upset stomach
- Back pain
- Abdominal swelling with weight loss
- Constipation
- Pain during sex
- Change in a woman’s period, such as heavy bleeding or irregular cycles
If you have these symptoms consistently, be sure to see your doctor so they can diagnose the issue right away.
How to prevent ovarian cancer
While there is no known way to prevent ovarian cancer, there are ways to lower your risk of developing cancer. Not all of these will be appropriate for your situation, so be sure to discuss your options with your doctor.
Studies show that women who take birth control pills for at least five years have a lower risk of ovarian cancer. However, birth control pills do have other side effects, including slightly increasing your risk of breast cancer.
Having a tubal litigation (getting your tubes tied) or having a hysterectomy are also linked to lower ovarian cancer risks, but you should only have these surgeries if you medically need them. If you do medically need a hysterectomy, talk to your doctor about possibly removing your ovaries as well, especially if you have risk factors for ovarian cancer.
How OvaLab’s test for ovarian cancer works
OVA1plus is made of OVA1 + OVERA tests. OVA1 evaluates the levels of five ovarian cancer-associated markers in blood:
- Apolipoprotein -Cholesterol Transport
- Beta 2 macroglobulin: host immune response
- CA – 125Ⅱ: released by tumor cells
- Prealbumin: Hormone and vitamin transport
- Transferrin: iron transport
The levels are combined into a single cancer risk score.
Overa incorporates two new markers:
- Human Epididymis protein 4: released by tumor cells
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone: hormone regulation
Overa has a global platform and increased specificity.
OVA1plus has four major benefits:
- Sensitivity across all ovarian cancer stages
- Sensitivity across menopausal stages
- Sensitivity across histological subtypes
- Sensitivity across all ethnicities
Treatment for ovarian cancer
If you are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, treatment will depend on the classification of the tumor.
Some possible treatments include:
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted drug therapy
Your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan that’s best for your situation and the classification of the tumor. By fully completing the treatment program, you can give yourself the best chance of recovery.
At OvaLab, we offer several different lab services, including an ovarian cancer diagnostic testing, to help women throughout New York City access more information about their health. Call us today or click here to schedule a fast and easy appointment for lab services. Our kind and compassionate female clinicians are experienced providers of laboratory services and can help you both detect and prevent a wide number of common conditions. To book an appointment for lab services, call our office today or visit our clinic conveniently located at 321 W 125th St. and 2406 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
Are you a woman living in New York City concerned about ovarian cancer? Talk to your doctor about scheduling an OVA1plus test at OvaLab today. The test is covered by Medicaid.
References:
American Cancer Society. (2020, July 24). Can Ovarian Cancer Be Found Early? Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
Penn Medicine. (2022, March 24). Key to Detecting Ovarian Cancer Early May Be in the Fallopian Tubes. Retrieved from https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2022/march/key-to-detecting-ovarian-cancer-early-may-be-in-the-fallopian-tubes
American Cancer Society. (2018, April 11). Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html
Aspira Women’s Health. (2022). OVA1Plus. Retrieved fromhttps://aspirawh.com/ova1plus-about/
