The FDA has approved a test for women who have developed tumors in the pelvic region known to need surgery. The test, OVA1, will be helpful for doctors in deciding if the tumor is an ovarian cancer and what should be their procedure to advance towards surgery. OVA1 can even detect ovarian cancer in women who have received negative results from standard cancer tests. The test, which has been developed by Vermillion Inc in collaboration with scientists at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, can also identify women whose surgical cases will benefit from the involvement of a gynecological oncologist.

Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry are a step closer after finding substances present in saliva that indicate whether a patient has oral cancer. Researchers have found that low levels of two microRNAs in saliva are indicative of the presence of cancer. The findings published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research show that these microRNAs, which are by-products of the process cells go through to make proteins, are linked to oral cancer.

The FDA has approved a portable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing device, which can be used by military doctors to diagnose novel H1N1 flu infections in troops stationed overseas. The device, called (Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System), is a rugged, suitcase-sized instrument that can run PCR-based molecular diagnostic tests. It has been under development for several years by a consortium of military health research centers, the CDC and academic medical laboratories.

Scientists have developed a simple test for endometriosis, a painful pelvic condition that can cause infertility in women. Researchers from Australia and Jordan have found that a biopsy of the lining of the uterus can be taken via the cervix without anesthetic. The new test could replace laparoscopy, a surgical procedure performed under general anesthetic in which a small telescope is passed through the belly button to gain access to the pelvis. Nemone Warner, of Endometriosis UK, said “Women will benefit from earlier diagnosis without the risk of surgical complications.”

Israeli developers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology said that a sensor made with gold nanoparticles can detect lung cancer in a patient’s breath and may offer a diagnosis before tumours show up on an x-ray. The device, which the developers say would be cheap enough for everyday use by family doctors, detected lung cancer with 86% accuracy. It may offer a way to screen for a disease not usually diagnosed until it has spread and is no longer curable