Blood Test for Ovarian Cancer Misses Some Black and Native American Patients, Study Finds

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that the CA-125 blood test commonly used to detect ovarian cancer may miss cases in Black and Native American patients, potentially contributing to treatment delays and health disparities. The research found that Black and Native American patients were 23% less likely to have elevated CA-125 levels at diagnosis compared to white patients, suggesting current thresholds may be set too high for these populations. Patients with false negative results started chemotherapy an average of nine days later than those with elevated levels.