Finnish-developed test helps detect ovarian cancer earlier, improving treatment options and patient outcomes

Ovarian cancer mortality varies significantly across different regions of the world. While Finland’s mortality rate is relatively low even compared to other EU countries, ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal cancers for women globally. In 2020, it was estimated to have caused approximately 207,000 deaths. By 2040, the annual death toll is projected to rise to nearly 315,000. Two-thirds of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live in low- and middle-income countries where early diagnosis and treatment are often lacking.

The currently used standard test, which measures the CA-125 protein, has known limitations, especially in detecting early-stage cancer. Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed only at an advanced stage when the prognosis is poor.

Uniogen GLYVAR testing technology, currently in research use, measures cancer-specific changes in sugar structures on the surface of the CA-125 protein. This approach aims to identify cancer more accurately, reliably distinguish between benign and malignant changes, and detect tumors earlier. Earlier detection improves treatment opportunities and patient prognosis. The tests are cost-effective and well-suited for healthcare systems later also in developing countries where resources are limited.

Peer-reviewed research published in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) highlights the significant advancements these tests offer in ovarian cancer detection (CCLM, De Gruyter, 2025).

In a particularly challenging patient group, where CA-125 levels were only slightly elevated, the glycovariant tests increased cancer detection sensitivity by a factor of 2.5 (83.3% vs. 33.3%). For early-stage serous tumors, the tests identified up to 40% more cases compared to the traditional protein test measuring only CA-125.

The newly published study was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University Hospital of Essen. The corresponding author is Associate Professor Kaisa Huhtinen, PhD, a cancer biology expert who works at Uniogen as an oncology specialist.

“GLYVAR tests not only offer new tools for improved cancer detection. They can also spare women from unnecessary surgeries and enable timely treatment. Women have often rightly criticized being sidelined in medical innovation. That is why we are especially proud of this breakthrough by our research team, which has the potential to improve the lives and quality of life for millions of women worldwide,” says Huhtinen.