Wellness
Ultrasound test could detect 96% of women with ovarian cancer
An ultrasound test that detected 96 per cent of ovarian cancers in postmenopausal women should replace current standard of care test in the UK according to a new study.
The research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led by Professor Sudha Sundar from the University of Birmingham compared all currently available tests to diagnose ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women head-to-head in a high-quality diagnostic test accuracy study.
Of the six diagnostic tests investigated, the IOTA ADNEX model which looks at ultrasound features (how the lump looked like on ultrasound) had the best accuracy of all and could detect up to 96 per cent of women with ovarian cancer.
The ultrasound test outperforms the current standard of care in the UK significantly and so we recommend that the IOTA ultrasound ADNEX model should replace the current standard of care test called risk of malignancy (RMI1) test in the UK which identifies 83 per cent of ovarian cancers.
Sudha Sundar, Professor of Gynaecological Cancer at the University of Birmingham and consultant in gynaecological cancer surgery at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said: “This is the first time that a head-to-head study of all available ovarian cancer tests have been done in the same population. Here we studied their use with symptomatic, postmenopausal women who are most at risk of this cancer.
“Our trial found that the IOTA ADNEX ultrasound protocol had highest sensitivity for detecting ovarian cancer compared to the standard of care and other test.
“The ultrasound test also performs well when delivered by a trained sonographer who have received specific training and certification and quality assurance, and as the vast majority of ultrasound scans are performed by sonographers it is important that a new standard is able to be delivered by as many clinical professionals as possible.
“We found that the higher sensitivity of the IOTA ADNEX model is likely to lead to some women who don’t have cancer also being flagged up as having a higher risk of cancer.
“We however did discuss this extensively with patients, cancer charity Target ovarian cancer and NHS experts who all agreed that in postmenopausal women who are at higher risk of ovarian cancer, picking up more women with cancer would benefit women overall.”
Annwen Jones OBE, Chief Executive at Target Ovarian Cancer said: “Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is vital, and we are pleased to see this research demonstrate that there are more accurate ways of using ultrasound, The faster and earlier ovarian cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat and the more successful the outcomes.
“Alongside this innovative research we need to see, greater awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer so that women know to come forward to their GP for testing and receive the best possible treatment as quickly as possible.
“It is crucial that new ways of working like this are rolled out as quickly as possible.”
The research team note that the IOTA ADNEX model achieved 96 per cent accuracy when delivered by NHS sonographers who were appropriately trained and received quality assurance.
As most scans worldwide are carried out by sonographers rather than gynaecologists, introductory free online resources have been created by the researchers for NHS staff to undergo the specialist ultrasound training and get certification and quality assurance.
The research has been published in Lancet Oncology.
Mira has launched an at-home cortisol tracking kit that allows women to monitor stress-related patterns over time using urine samples.
The Cortisol Pattern Kit measures urinary free cortisol directly from a urine sample and displays results through the company’s existing monitor and app.
The system is intended for repeated testing rather than a single measurement, allowing users to compare results with a personal baseline built from their own data.
Mira said consistent daily testing can establish a baseline in about a week. It recommends testing in the morning and evening to see how cortisol patterns change throughout the day.
Cortisol is involved in the body’s stress response but is not a direct or complete measure of stress. The company said the kit is intended for general wellness use and is not designed to diagnose stress, an endocrine condition or any other medical condition.
The Cortisol Pattern Wands use the same lateral-flow testing format as Mira’s existing hormone tests. Users dip a wand into a urine sample, insert it into the Mira Monitor and view the result in the app within minutes.
The company said cortisol data can be viewed alongside cycle, hormone and daily routine information.
Sylvia Kang, founder and chief executive of Mira, said: “The Cortisol Pattern™ Kit gives women a new way to understand their stress patterns over time, in the context of their own biology.”
She added: “We built Mira to give women answers they had spent far too long searching for, beginning with the TTC journey and expanding into hormone and cycle tracking across life stages, including perimenopause. Now, we’re taking Mira beyond reproductive health and into everyday wellness, bringing personalised stress-pattern tracking directly into women’s homes.”
Mira said more than 350,000 women already use its platform to track their cycle and hormones.
Waitlist sign-ups for the Cortisol Pattern Kit and Cortisol Pattern Wands opened on 22 September, with wand refills available to pre-order in 20- and 30-count options.
Manchester City has launched a female athlete health platform covering menstrual, pelvic and breast health, as well as nutrition.
The Her City website is designed for the club’s women’s first-team players, coaches, support staff, academy players and parents.
Manchester City says the platform is the first of its kind in the Women’s Super League and was developed over two years.
The project was led by director of performance services Emma Deakin, physical performance scientist Rosie Anderson and PhD student and first-team nutritionist Sarah Malone.
It grew out of PhD research into menstrual, pelvic and breast health and nutrition, with the team seeking to turn that work into an online educational resource.
The website divides the four areas into separate sections and provides peer-reviewed information that the club says has been critically analysed by experts.
Content will continue to be reviewed and updated as further evidence emerges.
Resources include posters, visual explainers, audio materials and downloadable educational content, with information tailored to different groups including players and parents.
The platform aims to improve knowledge, develop critical analysis skills and strengthen communication within football and at home.
It also includes material to help users assess misinformation they encounter on social media or elsewhere.
A confidential contact form allows users to raise concerns or ask questions directly of experts at Manchester City.
Parents of academy players can also access the platform, with resources intended to help them support their children during a key phase of their development.
Manchester City said its longer-term aim is to make the platform available to all women working across City Football Group.
Small bowel microbiome differences between women and men may help explain why some conditions are more common in women, a study suggests.
The small bowel microbiome is the community of microorganisms living in this part of the digestive tract, where they play vital roles in immune function, metabolism and hormonal regulation.
Researchers found differences between women and men in the composition and organisation of these microbial communities. One bacterial community containing Granulicatella was found only in women.
The study was conducted by investigators at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University.
Ruchi Mathur, director of clinical research and clinical operations for the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai and corresponding author of the study, said: “One intriguing finding was a bacterial community containing Granulicatella, which we found only in women.
“Bacteria in this community appear at increased levels in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome.”
The researchers also identified differences between women and men in how microbes in the small bowel produce fructans, complex carbohydrates known to trigger digestive symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is far more common in women than men.
Mathur, who is also a professor of medicine, said: “Our findings show that biological sex is a critical variable in the small bowel microbiome.
“We must consider it as we move toward more personalised approaches to understanding and treating disease.”
Menopause1 week agoMenopause may not explain rising heart condition in women – study
Fertility2 weeks agoParacetamol use may impact future fertility, studies suggest
Insight1 week agoWomen with birth trauma face 2.5x higher healthcare costs – study
Menopause2 weeks agoCancer drug could tackle osteoporosis menopause weight gain
News1 week agoMedical cannabis may improve endometriosis symptoms – study
Cancer1 week agoStudy could explain why obesity is a breast cancer risk factor
Menopause2 weeks agoMenopause hormone therapy may improve cardiovascular health outcomes, study suggests
AI1 week agoEvvy secures US$40m for AI-powered vaginal microbiome testing
2 Comments