The OVA1 blood test was designed to help doctors be able to catch cervical cancer in its early stages. Many gynecologists can find ovarian masses during a routine exam through pelvic pulpitations and ultrasounds to find small lumps. If there are small tumors or masses present, these tests help to determine if they are filled with fluid, solid, or a combination of both. Fluid-filled masses are called cysts and are much less likely to turn malignant.
A pap smear is still considered the gold standard when it comes to determining the presence of a hidden precancerous condition because the cells are taken directly from the cervix. The OVA1 blood test is used to continue the assessment to determine the possibility of a malignancy being present. It is usually ordered after the ultrasound and independent clinical observations.
The OVA1 blood test by itself cannot be used to screen for cancer or other health concerns.
What Does the OVA1 Blood Test Do?
The OVA1 blood test is an FDA approved test that has higher sensitivities for certain subtypes of ovarian cancer. It is especially beneficial in women who are premenopausal or post menopausal to determine their health status.
It works by testing for 5 specific biomarkers within the OVA1 test result. Transferring, prealbumin, apolipoprotein A-1, CA 125II, and B2 microglobulin are measured in this test.
The sensitivity levels of this test over the previous standard, the CA125 blood test, are remarkable. In a comparison study between the two blood tests, the OVA1 blood test detected 3 out of 4 primary ovarian malignancies that were missed by the CA125 blood test. That includes detecting every single advanced stage ovarian cancer in the study that the CA125 blood test missed.
The results for premenopausal women are even more spectacular. The OVA1 blood test demonstrated an 82% sensitivity for early stage cancers compared to just 29% sensitivity for the CA125 blood test.
Why Is Having the OVA1 Blood Test Important?
The reason why the OVA1 blood test will be ordered is because it can help to determine which specialist a patient may need to be referred to for further treatments. Higher OVA1 scores indicate that there is a higher probability of a malignancy being present. This would mean a referral to an oncologist would be more likely to happen. Lower scores have a lower probability of cancer, which means if a surgery is necessary, it can often be done without the help of a specialist.
Not every health insurance provider currently covers the OVA1 blood test. Patients will need to obtain pre-authorization if the are not covered by Medicare for this test in many circumstances. Women who are a high risk of having ovarian cancer because of a family history of the disease may wish to have their ovaries removed as a proactive treatment to prevent malignancy development.
There may also be a link between certain types of ovarian cancer and certain types of breast cancer. This is especially true in women who have received a mutated version of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, but genes are only one risk factor for cancer development. Men also carry and pass along this mutated gene.
There may also be a link between ovarian cancer and uterine or colorectal cancer.
Does a High OVA1 Result Mean Cancer?
Not necessarily. A high score simply indicates that there is a higher likelihood that a malignancy may be present and that a referral to a specialist is necessary for further evaluation.. This helps doctors be able to detect the cancer when it is in its earlier stages, making it a lot easier to treat. Because there is no actual screening test for ovarian cancer, it becomes a tool that can be used with all of the other tools at the doctor’s disposal to be able to find the cancer as soon as possible.
Risk score cut-offs are dependent on a woman’s menopausal state. Doctors who use the OVA1 blood test in combination with the CA125 blood test are able to find an average of 96% of all ovarian cancers.
Low test results are also able to predict the lack of a malignancy in 98% of studied cases. This means it is often the final test conducted before a surgery is scheduled for a biopsy or removal of the ovaries. The usefulness of the OVA1 blood test has not been studied in women who do not have a planned surgery.
The OVA1 blood test results are designed to help confirm other exams and test results. The results are simply a reflection of risk and nothing more.