A BLOOD test could save thousands of lives by spotting ovarian cancer two years earlier than now.
The epithelial ovarian cancer test looks for signs of tumours in the blood. They form in ovary tissue, killing 4,200 Brits a year.
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Women have a 90 per cent chance of being alive five years later if diagnosed early. But odds drop to just 22 per cent if detected at a later stage.
Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer in British women and is known as the “silent killer” because it is often diagnosed late.
Patients have a 90 per cent chance of being alive five years later if diagnosed with EOC early.
But their odds plummet to just 22 per cent if detected at more advanced stages.
Scientists developed the test on blood taken from 80 volunteers over a seven year period and are planning further trials.
Dr Bobby Graham, of Queen’s University Belfast, said: “The screening test identifies ovarian cancer up to two years before the current tests allow.
“The results of this study are encouraging, however, we now want to focus on testing it in a wider sample set so that we can use the data to advocate for an ovarian cancer screening programme.
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