Abbott receives EU approval for ovarian cancer diagnostic test

A Conformite Europeene (CE) Mark was granted to Abbott for its Architect human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) test.

The diagnostic tool can help in determining whether a pelvic mass is benign or malignant, studies have shown.

Michael Warmuth, senior vice president of diagnostics at Abbott, said: “The ability of this test to help physicians predict whether a pelvic mass is benign or malignant is an important development for both patients and physicians.”

He went on to say that the test will aid physicians in determining the best treatment for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

The EU approval has made the Abbotts test the first HE4 exam available in the world.

According to Cancer Research UK, epithelial ovarian cancer makes up between 80 and 90 per cent of all ovary tumours and around one in every ten epithelial ovarian cancers are unclassifiable.