OVA1 Awareness Team Created to Springboard a National Conversation about Pelvic Mass and the Diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer
AUSTIN, Texas – Vermillion, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRML), a bio-analytical solutions company focused on gynecologic disease, today announced the most decorated gymnast in American history has joined its new OVA1 Awareness Team. As a member of Vermillion’s Awareness Team, Shannon Miller will be tasked with “spring boarding” an ongoing dialogue about pelvic masses, the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, along with the use of the OVA1 blood test. OVA1 is the first FDA-cleared blood test used to evaluate the cancer risk of a pelvic mass. Shannon is an ovarian cancer survivor, an accomplished author, an entrepreneur and a champion gymnast who has earned seven Olympic medals.
“In 2011, I was shocked with my diagnosis of ovarian cancer at age 33. I have no family history of this disease and thought I was feeling fine. It was only upon looking back that I realized how many of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer I had dismissed as unimportant or normal. I will never forget that morning on the phone, the morning that I decided not to cancel my exam. That decision led to a diagnosis of the cancer at an early stage and allowed me to receive the proper treatment. OVA1 was not available when I was diagnosed, but patients diagnosed today with a pelvic mass who are planning surgery have this additional tool; they have the availability of OVA1 to help guide them through their medical decisions,” said Miller.
“We are thrilled to have Shannon’s support in magnifying our efforts to raise patient, family and caregiver awareness of this non-silent killer. Our goal is to educate women, the people who love them and the medical community about OVA1, helping patients diagnosed with a pelvic mass be assessed for the risk of ovarian cancer prior to surgery,” said Valerie Palmieri, President and CEO of Vermillion, Inc. “Understanding your risk of cancer before surgery can improve a patient’s survival by 30-40%. We are excited Shannon will be working with us to change the future of ovarian cancer detection.”
Studies indicate one in five women will be diagnosed with a pelvic mass sometime during their life1. Many women pinball from doctor to doctor to determine their pelvic mass diagnosis while attributing many of their basic symptoms (bloating, feeling full after eating little, abdominal pain, bladder issues and unexplained weight loss) as typical female monthly discomfort. Learn more about the symptoms of pelvic mass at www.KnowPelvicMass.com.
About Shannon Miller and Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Shannon Miller remains the most decorated American gymnast, male or female, in history, with seven Olympic medals (two gold, two silver, and three bronze) and nine World Championship medals (over half of them gold). After retiring from Olympic competition, Shannon completed her undergraduate degrees in marketing and entrepreneurship from the University of Houston and received her law degree from Boston College Law School. Now President of Shannon Miller Lifestyle, a company focused on helping women make their health a priority, Shannon continues to inspire and motivate others. In addition to a content-based website and strategic partnerships, Shannon furthers the message of a healthy and fit lifestyle as a professional speaker and author. In addition, Shannon is the President of her foundation dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. Shannon remains involved with the sport of gymnastics through commentary and analysis and most recently with a launch of gymnastics matting and leotards. To learn more, visit www.shannonmiller.com.
About OVA1
• OVA1 is a proprietary FDA-cleared blood test to help physicians assess the risk of ovarian cancer prior to surgery and as a result provide early detection and triage of high risk patients to a specialist (gynecologic oncologist) for surgical treatment
• The OvaCalc® proprietary algorithm combines five biomarker results into a single numerical “risk score” that stratifies patients into “higher risk” and “lower risk” when combined with clinical assessment
• In two pivotal clinical trials, OVA1 plus clinical impression detected 96% of all malignancies vs. 75% for clinical impression alone. It subsequently reduced false negatives from 25% to 4%, a reduction of 83%
• For early-stage cancers specifically, on average 31% are missed by clinical impression alone. This was reduced to 5% when OVA1 was added to clinical impression, a reduction of 85%
• Vermillion has developed a next-generation test, Overa, which is CE marked and is pending FDA clearance
About pelvic mass disease Pelvic mass disease is defined as a pelvic mass, growth or tumor on the ovary or in the pelvis. A pelvic mass may be cystic (cystadenoma), solid (fibroma), or both (dermoid). A pelvic mass may be benign or malignant. Symptoms include bloating, fullness, pelvic or abdominal pain, frequent urination, difficulty eating. One in five women have pelvic masses or ovarian cysts at some point in their lives1. Most women are unaware of the occurrence of pelvic masses or ovarian cysts, as they may go away on their own during the menstrual cycle. If symptoms are persistent, they could be signs of ovarian cancer.
1. Moore R, Bast Jr R. How do you distinguish a malignant pelvic mass from a benign pelvic mass? Imaging, biomarkers, or none of the above. J Clin Onc 2007 Sept 20;25(27).