Tampons could help early ovarian cancer diagnosis

A Southampton-led clinical trial is testing a specialist medical tampon to collect samples for earlier detection of ovarian cancer, and the study is funded by The Eve Appeal.

Researchers in Southampton have launched a clinical trial testing a specialist medical tampon to collect samples for earlier detection of ovarian cancer. The study will use the tampon and other sampling methods to look for early clues of the disease. It is led by Dr Jemma Longley with teams from the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit and the Centre for Cancer Immunology at the University of Southampton. The trial is funded by a grant from The Eve Appeal. Key points: - A clinical trial in Southampton has begun testing a specialist medical tampon alongside other sampling methods to look for early signs of ovarian cancer. - The trial is led by Dr Jemma Longley with the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit and the Centre for Cancer Immunology, and is funded by The Eve Appeal. - Only around 27% of ovarian cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed at an early stage, according to Cancer Research UK. Summary: The study aims to assess whether tampon-based and other sample collection can reveal earlier signs of ovarian cancer, which could inform future diagnostic approaches. It responds to concern that a minority of UK cases are detected early. Next procedural steps and timelines for results are undetermined at this time.