More than 20,180 women in the USA are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and 15,310 die annually. Unfortunately, and unlike other cancers, ovarian tumors are generally detected in advanced stages due to the lack of early and effective diagnostic tools.  There are mainly three types of ovarian cancers; epithelial ovarian cancer which accounts for ~90% of all ovarian cancers, along with germ cell tumors and stromal tumors that account for the remaining 10% of ovarian cancers. 

Current detection methods for ovarian cancer include, vaginal-rectal pelvic examination, ultrasound and CA-125 blood test. However, a CA-125 test detects only 40-50% of early ovarian cancers. Consequently, objective molecular diagnostic methods will lead to a more certain assessment and safer future.