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FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has approved a new test for women with pelvic tumors that
are known to need surgery. The test, called OVA1, will help doctors decide
if the tumor probably is ovarian cancer and how to proceed surgically.

OVA1 will identify some women who have negative results from ovarian
cancer tests, but whose surgical cases would benefit from a gynecological
oncologist's involvement, the agency said in a news release. Gynecological
oncologists -- doctors who specialize in women's cancer -- have been found
to help improve survival when they perform ovarian cancer surgery, the FDA
said.

The new blood test -- approved for women aged 18 and older who have
pelvic masses that require surgery -- is not meant to screen for ovarian
cancer or replace diagnostics used to detect ovarian cancer, the FDA
stressed.

OVA1 is produced by California-based Vermillion Inc., in conjunction
with scientists at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

More information

The FDA has more about this approval.