FDA Clears OVA1 For Ovarian Cancer

The FDA has cleared a test that can help detect ovarian cancer in a pelvic mass that is already known to require surgery. The test, known as OVA1, helps patients and health care professionals decide what type of surgery should be done and by whom.

Reportedly, OVA1 identifies some women who will benefit from referral to a gynecological oncologist for their surgery, despite negative results from other clinical and radiographic tests for ovarian cancer. If other test results suggest cancer, referral to an oncologist is appropriate even with a negative OVA1 result.

OVA1 uses a blood sample to test for levels of five proteins that change due to ovarian cancer. The test combines the five separate results into a single numerical score between 0 and 10 to indicate the likelihood that the pelvic mass is benign or malignant.

OVA1 is intended only for women, 18 years and older, who are already selected for surgery because of their pelvic mass. It is not intended for ovarian cancer screening or for a definitive diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Interpreting the test result requires knowledge of whether the woman is pre- or post-menopausal.

The FDA reviewed a study of 516 patients, including 269 evaluated by non-gynecological oncologists, which compared OVA1 results with biopsy results. When combined with pre-surgical information, such as radiography and other laboratory tests, results from the OVA1 tests identified additional patients who might benefit from oncology referral who were not identified using pre-surgical information alone.

Jeffrey Shuren, acting director of the center for devices and Radiological Health at FDA, said: “Tests such as OVA1 personalise and improve public health by providing patients and health care providers with more information to support medical decisions that impact survival rates and reduce surgical complications.”