Skip to main content

Early Diagnosis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Feasible

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 12, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 11, 2023 -- Early diagnosis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) seems feasible through analysis of genomic alterations in DNA from Papanicolaou (Pap) test smears, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in Science Translational Medicine.

Lara Paracchini, Ph.D., from Humanitas University in Milan, and colleagues examined a retrospective and multicentric cohort of 250 archival Pap test smears collected during routine gynecological screening. Samples were taken from 113 presymptomatic women who were subsequently diagnosed with HGSOC (pre-HGSOC) and from 77 healthy women at different time points (from one month to 13.5 years before diagnosis). Low-pass whole-genome sequencing of DNA derived from Pap test samples in terms of copy number profile abnormality (CPA) was used to detect genome instability.

The researchers found that the CPA values of DNA extracted from Pap samples were significantly higher from pre-HGSOC women versus healthy women. This assay could detect HGSOC presence up to nine years before diagnosis, consistent with the longitudinal analysis of clonal pathogenic TP53 mutations. Integration of the CPA score into the EVA (early ovarian cancer) test resulted in sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 75, 96, and 81 percent, respectively.

"We consider the data sufficiently convincing to warrant prospective clinical investigations aimed at verifying whether the longitudinal analysis of CPA in Pap test smears renders the prediction of HGSOC possible," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

ACG: 2000 to 2022 Saw Rise in Early-Onset CRC Mortality in the United States

THURSDAY, Oct. 31, 2024 -- Early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC) mortality rose in the United States over the past two decades, most notably in patients aged 20 to 44 years...

Cell-Free Blood DNA Tests Less Effective Than Other CRC Screening

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 30, 2024 -- Cell-free DNA blood tests (cf-bDNA) may be more costly and less effective for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening than other screening modalities...

American College of Surgeons, Oct. 19-22

The annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons was held this year from Oct. 19 to 22 in San Francisco and attracted participants from around the world, including...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.