Bodour Salhia, Inaugural Interim Chair, Department of Cancer Biology, Keck School of Medicine at USC, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Over 200,000 women undergo surgery for adnexal masses each year in the United States. Over 80% of those masses will be benign, putting those women through unnecessary invasive procedures, risking their fertility. Currently, there are no reliable methods to distinguish between a benign and malignant adnexal mass, creating a diagnostic dilemma for patients and doctors alike.
As a scientist, I saw an opportunity to think differently and apply innovative methods to close gaps that have too often left women without answers.
I chose to study ovarian cancer because it is the most deadly gynecological cancer and remains a clinically unmet need in women’s health. It’s a disease where: Current tools are imprecise, leading to unnecessary surgeries that carry serious risks, especially for younger women who may lose fertility.
Diagnostic delays are life-threatening—for the 75% of ovarian cancers diagnosed at advanced stages, survival drops below 32%.
And most critically, we don’t have a reliable way to tell who really needs aggressive treatment and who doesn’t.
Advances in epigenetics, machine learning, and liquid biopsy are opening doors we couldn’t even knock on a decade ago. With the right investment and collaboration, we can give clinicians the data they need to act confidently and give women the chance to avoid stress, preserve fertility, and get lifesaving care sooner.
As someone who has personally endured cancer, I also see the human side of this work. I know the fear that comes with a diagnosis. I know the power of clear answers. And I know how much we all need—not just hope—but evidence-based hope.
Ovarian cancer has remained stubbornly underfunded and under-discussed, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. As Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month arrives, I hope we can move beyond awareness and into action by supporting better research, demanding better tools, and honoring the lives behind every statistic.”
More posts featuring Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.