EARLY Study

Currently, there are no reliable screening tests available to detect ovarian cancer before symptoms appear. As a result, many cases are diagnosed at a later stage, when the disease may have already progressed and treatment options are more limited. Early detection significantly improves outcomes, highlighting the urgent need for an effective screening test for this cancer.

Blood is made up of several components, including plasma and different types of cells. By separating these components, scientists can study specific molecules known as biomarkers. Biomarkers, such as DNA, lipids (fats), and proteins, can offer valuable insights into how diseases develop and progress. Understanding these biomarkers may lead to earlier diagnosis, improved treatments, or the identification of new treatment targets.

The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) is looking for postmenopausal females to take part in a study exploring the feasibility of using blood samples to detect ovarian cancer earlier and more accurately.

If you are aged between 50 - 74 and postmenopausal you maybe eligible to participate in this important research study aiming to improve early detection of ovarian cancer.

Led by Professor Carlos Salomon Gallo, UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, The EARLY Study (Evaluating the Specificity and feasibility of the EARLY Test for Ovarian Cancer Detection) is designed to assess how practical and effective it is to:

Recruit community participants like you
Safely and consistently collect and process blood samples
Study Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), small particles in your blood that may be important biomarkers for detecting gynaecological cancer early

Your participation involves:

Completing a short 4 answer eligibilty survey.
If you are eligible, you will then be asked to complete a more involved online questionnaire to gather medical/health and personal details, and sign the consent document.
Giving a single blood sample at your choice of Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology (SNP) or QML.

ELIGIBILITY SELF ASSESSMENT

The EARLY Study will be open for recruitment in February 2026 and will be recruiting from Queensland only.

This study has been approved by the Mater Misericordiae Ltd Human Research Ethics Committee [EC00332] and is proudly supported by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, the Mater Biobank, and the Lions Medical Research Foundation.