elevated OVA1 test result

VictoriaSF
VictoriaSF Member Posts: 165
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hello,
my niece , who is 38 y.o having abdominal pain for few months now,
she went to her obgyn and had ultrasound which showd small cyst on left ovary, based on our family history doctor sent her to have ova1 test, which came up slightly high.
i believe it was 6 and 4 considered normal?? i am not very familliar with this test and never had before, my doctor only using ca125 on me.
of course my niece is paniking, but from what i read ova1 can have lots of false-positive.
if any of you ladies had any experience with this test and can give me and my niece advise or comments - we will greatly appreciate it
thank you all

hugs
Victoria

Comments

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #2
    Other Tests?
    Did your niece have other tests along with the OVA1? The website for the manufacturer states, "OVA1 is not a screening test for ovarian cancer. A physician should use OVA1 along with clinical exams and other tests." Another article states, "The test, though, has a serious downside: It generates a lot of false positives. Of the women flagged as likely having cancer, 64% didn't," It appears it is used along with other diagnostics to identify whether a mass is malignant, or not. According to the manufacturer's statistics, it raises the diagnosis of a malignant mass from catching 72% of malignant masses to catching 92% of malignant masses. But that's not surprising if it generates so many false positives.

    If her other tests point to ovarian cancer, then she should treat is as if it is OVCA, get a gyn/onc etc. But without the other tests, other bloodwork and CA-125, it does not appear that the OVA1 alone can be used for a diagnosis.
  • VictoriaSF
    VictoriaSF Member Posts: 165
    #3
    Tethys41 said:

    Other Tests?
    Did your niece have other tests along with the OVA1? The website for the manufacturer states, "OVA1 is not a screening test for ovarian cancer. A physician should use OVA1 along with clinical exams and other tests." Another article states, "The test, though, has a serious downside: It generates a lot of false positives. Of the women flagged as likely having cancer, 64% didn't," It appears it is used along with other diagnostics to identify whether a mass is malignant, or not. According to the manufacturer's statistics, it raises the diagnosis of a malignant mass from catching 72% of malignant masses to catching 92% of malignant masses. But that's not surprising if it generates so many false positives.

    If her other tests point to ovarian cancer, then she should treat is as if it is OVCA, get a gyn/onc etc. But without the other tests, other bloodwork and CA-125, it does not appear that the OVA1 alone can be used for a diagnosis.

    thank you for reply
    my niece had vaginal ultrasound and ct scan - both showing ovarian cyst,
    doctor ordered ca125 and it is normal. other symptoms - abdominal pain, bloating.
    so, it can be possibly be ovarian cancer, even though cyst can also cause some of those symptoms.
    i guess next step for her will be surgery
    best
    Victoria
  • COOVCA
    COOVCA Member Posts: 1
    #4
    VictoriaSF said:

    thank you for reply
    my niece had vaginal ultrasound and ct scan - both showing ovarian cyst,
    doctor ordered ca125 and it is normal. other symptoms - abdominal pain, bloating.
    so, it can be possibly be ovarian cancer, even though cyst can also cause some of those symptoms.
    i guess next step for her will be surgery
    best
    Victoria

    OVA1
    He Should have only ordered the test to help decide if he is doing the surgery or a gyn onc is doing the surgery. OVA1 score of 6 is high bc the premenapausal cutoff if 5.0. It can be falsely elevated but identifies way more ovca than ca125! I'm sure she is fine but I would definitely advise her to have her surgery done by a gyn oncologist to be sure. Best of luck and please let us know the outcome of pathology.
  • VictoriaSF
    VictoriaSF Member Posts: 165
    #5
    COOVCA said:

    OVA1
    He Should have only ordered the test to help decide if he is doing the surgery or a gyn onc is doing the surgery. OVA1 score of 6 is high bc the premenapausal cutoff if 5.0. It can be falsely elevated but identifies way more ovca than ca125! I'm sure she is fine but I would definitely advise her to have her surgery done by a gyn oncologist to be sure. Best of luck and please let us know the outcome of pathology.

    thank you COOVCA
    thank you for your reply, i will keep you posted,
    we're all hope it is nothing and she is fine.
    best
    V

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