A new medical tampon may be able to detect the earliest signs of ovarian cancer, scientists have said.
Researchers in Southampton are to carry out a trial of the new device, which identifies biological signals in vaginal fluid.
There are around 7,600 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year. Many of them are diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Around 250 women are being recruited for the study, named Violet. 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.
According to Cancer Research UK, people with this gene mutation have a higher risk of developing several cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate.
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.”
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Consultant gynaecological oncology surgeon David Constable-Phelps, a co-investigator for the study, said that if the tampon worked, it “would be a complete game-changer 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,” he said.
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Mr Constable-Phelps added: “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.”
The diagnostic tampon has been developed by the biotechnology company Daye. If successful, researchers are hopeful of conducting another, larger trial.
