At the 2025 ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Annual Meeting, researchers shared breakthroughs in blood tests that could find ovarian cancer earlier and more accurately, especially in women who don’t yet have symptoms.

Two new tests are currently under investigation and close to approval for public use.

INNOVIQ EXO-OC™ Test (Australia)

A new blood test developed by Australian researchers that showed outstanding results in detecting ovarian cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages.

It had 77% sensitivity overall, meaning that it detected ovarian cancer correctly in over ¾ of those with the disease. It also had 99.6% specificity, meaning it almost never gave a false positive result, which means no unnecessary anxiety or invasive screening follow-ups than needed.

Importantly, in testing, it found 100% of early-stage (Stage I & II) cancers.

The test works by analyzing tiny particles in the blood called extracellular vesicles (EVs), which carry signals from cells. It looks for cancer-related changes in these particles using a highly sensitive method.

Why it matters: This is the first test to reliably find early-stage ovarian cancer in women who don’t have symptoms. Early stage ovarian cancers have a much better prognosis than when usually detected at stage IV.

Mercy Halo Test (USA)

Developed by Mercy BioAnalytics, this test also looks at extracellular vesicles in blood, but uses a slightly different method than the Australian one.

In a study of over 1,300 women, it found ovarian cancer up to three years before diagnosis, with 85% sensitivity (meaning it detected cancer correctly 85% of the time when cancer was actually present) for early-stage cancers (i.e. 15% false negatives) and 97.7% specificity (meaning that it didn’t detect cancer correctly 97.7% of the time when there was no cancer, i.e. 2.3% false positives).

It performed better than the CA-125 test, which misses many early cancers.

The U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has given this test a Breakthrough Device Designation, speeding up its review process for use in postmenopausal women without symptoms.

Why it matters: This could help doctors catch ovarian cancer years earlier, giving women more options and better chances for survival.

The Current Problem with Ovarian Cancer Screening

The main tools used today to detect ovarian cancer, transvaginal ultrasound and occasionally the CA-125 blood test, have limited accuracy and aren’t recommended for regular screening in most women.

CA-125 is only right about 46% of the time in early-stage cancer.

These new blood tests offer a safer, simpler, and more accurate way to check for cancer before it spreads.

Quick Comparison of Blood Tests for Ovarian Cancer

Summary

These new blood tests could transform how ovarian cancer is found and treated, offering hope for earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. While they’re not yet available to the public, both tests are in advanced stages of research and review.