<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span> researchers are developing a potentially world-changing screening test for ovarian </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/cancer" rel="" target="" title="cancer"><span>cancer</span></a><span>, one of the most serious cancers affecting women.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Currently, less than half of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will be alive five years later, and there is no screening program despite survival rates being much higher when the cancer is detected early.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Scientists from the University of Queensland have developed a screening test based on microscopic bubbles, called extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are naturally released by cells and carry protein and genetic information that can signal the presence of cancer.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/us-israel-attack-iran-economic-inflation-impact-australia/f2fad1f9-e0d3-40b1-9693-d01673efca43"><strong><span>'Tax on households' coming for Aussies due to Iran war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The test demonstrated 100 per cent detection of early-stage (I and II) ovarian cancer across more than 500 blood samples.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Professor Carlos Salomon Gallo, the director of the UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine said two out of three women who develop ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced, when treatment becomes more complex and survival rates poor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Rapid and accurate identification of asymptomatic ovarian cancer will dramatically improve survival rates," Salomon Gallo said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/ovarian-cancer-screening-test-research-study-university-of-queensland-health-news/f233e0f9-7cd4-4eac-8ec6-b57c69044641" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Another advantage of this test is the extremely low false positive rate of 0.4 per cent in recent studies, which makes it a potential candidate as a screening tool."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>UQ has licensed the technology to ASX-listed biotech company INOVIQ Ltd and is now studying the impact of shipment and storage on the stability of the biomarkers in the samples.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our aim is to systematically evaluate the impact of blood collection protocols, storage temperatures, transport conditions and time-to-processing on EV biomarker stability," Salomon Gallo said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This will allow us to establish a standardised specimen handling protocol for the test under real-world conditions."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-live-updates-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/95e0f1d7-cdf4-42ad-866d-569779885e71" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump warns the 'big wave' yet to come in war with Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Researchers are looking for postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 74 with intact ovaries, and no prior history of ovarian cancer to </span><a href="https://gyncan.org/our-research/current-trials/early-study" rel="" target="_blank" title="enrol in a study"><span>enrol in a study</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Professor Andreas Obermair, a surgeon who works with women with ovarian cancer, said we "urgently need to change" the amount of women being diagosed when the cancer was already advanced.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This study relies on women volunteering to donate a small blood sample and some basic health information - it is quick, safe and free," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ovarian Cancer Foundation CEO Robin Penty said the research was a "significant milestone" towards early detection and screening.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The study represents real progress and future hope for everyone affected by this insidious disease, so we are very excited to see the results."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation donated more than $1.7 million to fund Gallo's work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The project received grants by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in partnership with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation and the Lions Medical Research Foundation, and in collaboration with Mater Research andQueensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer Research.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=9news.com.au" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>