Trial to explore if special tampon can help detect ovarian cancer earlier
A new trial will explore if a special medical tampon can help detect the earliest signs of ovarian cancer.
The test looks for tiny biological signals in vaginal fluid and could be a “complete gamechanger” for the disease, which is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Some 250 women are being recruited for the trial, known as Violet and led by researchers in Southampton.
It will include patients who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and are having their ovaries removed, as well as women with the BRCA gene mutation who are choosing to have risk-reducing surgery.
People with this gene mutation have a higher risk of developing a number of cancers, such as breast and ovarian.
Dr Jemma Longley, consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Southampton and chief investigator for the trial, said: “There is currently no screening programme available for ovarian cancer, and women with recognised genetic mutations, such as BRCA, may opt to have surgery to remove their ovaries and fallopian tubes to reduce their risk of developing the disease.
“However, this can have significant long-term health effects by putting younger women into a surgical menopause.”
Researchers will collect samples of vaginal fluid using the medical tampon and swabs.
They will also take tissue from the removed ovaries and fallopian tubes and compare them to those without the disease.
The samples will be analysed for the earliest signs of ovarian cancer, with experts looking for changes in biomarkers known as microRNAs, tiny biological signals that are present in both ovarian cancer cells and vaginal fluid.
There are around 7,600 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year.
However, many are diagnosed at a late stage.
The diagnostic tampon has been developed by biotechnology company Daye.
If Violet is successful, researchers are hopeful of conducting another larger trial.
Consultant gynaecological oncology surgeon David Constable-Phelps, a co-investigator for the study, said: “The ability to detect the earliest signs of ovarian cancer, with a relatively non-invasive test such as the Daye tampon, would be a complete gamechanger for women with ovarian cancer.
“Ovarian cancer commonly has non-specific symptoms in its early and late stages, so the tumour can spread to other organs silently.
“We are really optimistic that we will find interesting biological signals in the vaginal fluid of women with early-stage tumours, meaning more women can expect to be cured.
“This study will pave the way towards further translational work to allow us to understand more about the biology of these cancers.”
Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of The Eve Appeal, which helped fund the study, said: “Anyone with an altered BRCA gene faces very difficult decisions around their health and family planning.”
She hopes the research could lead to “a simple and easy to use test” that could provide personalised information to anyone going through the decision-making process.
She added: “It could both help them reduce their risk of ovarian cancer development or pick it up in the earliest stages, when it is most treatable.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub