Evidence-Based Supplement & Herb Guides

CA-125 Test for Ovarian Cancer: High Levels, Monitoring, Recurrence, and Benign Causes

Learn what high CA-125 levels can mean, common benign causes, how CA-125 tracks ovarian cancer treatment and recurrence, and why one result cannot diagnose cancer.

CA-125 is the most widely used blood tumor marker for epithelial ovarian cancer, but a high result does not by itself mean cancer. The...

Cervical Cancer Biomarker Panel: HPV, p16, Ki-67, Dysplasia Risk, and Tumor Markers

Understand cervical cancer biomarkers including high-risk HPV, p16, Ki-67 dual stain, dysplasia risk, biopsy markers, and tumor tests used after diagnosis.

A cervical cancer biomarker panel is not one universal blood test. It is a group of laboratory tools used at different points in cervical...

Endometrial Cancer Biomarker Panel: MMR, MSI, POLE, p53, and Molecular Subtype

Understand endometrial cancer MMR, MSI, POLE, and p53 testing, the four molecular subtypes, Lynch syndrome clues, prognosis, and treatment implications.

An endometrial cancer biomarker panel helps classify a tumor by its underlying biology, not just by how the cells look under a microscope. The...

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease hCG Test: Tumor Monitoring, hCG Levels, and Recurrence

Learn how hCG is used to monitor gestational trophoblastic disease, interpret falling, plateauing, rising, and low-level hCG, and detect GTN recurrence.

The hCG test is the central tumor-marker test for gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). Human chorionic gonadotropin is produced by trophoblastic tissue, so blood hCG...

Gynecologic Cancer Gene Panel: BRCA, Lynch Syndrome, RAD51, BRIP1, and Hereditary Risk

Understand gynecologic cancer gene panels for BRCA1/2, Lynch syndrome, RAD51C, RAD51D, and BRIP1, including hereditary risk, result meaning, and next steps.

A gynecologic cancer gene panel looks for inherited pathogenic variants that can increase the risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal, endometrial, and other...

HE4 Test for Ovarian Cancer: High Levels, Risk Assessment, ROMA Score, and Meaning

Learn what an HE4 test measures, what high HE4 levels can mean, how kidney function affects results, and how HE4 and CA-125 are used in the ROMA ovarian cancer risk score.

Human epididymis protein 4, usually shortened to HE4, is a blood biomarker that can help estimate the chance that an ovarian or adnexal mass...

HER2 Test for Endometrial Cancer: HER2 Expression, Amplification, and Tumor Subtype

Learn how HER2 testing in endometrial cancer measures protein expression and ERBB2 amplification, how IHC and FISH results are interpreted, and why HER2 status can affect treatment in uterine serous carcinoma.

HER2 testing in endometrial cancer looks for excess HER2 protein or extra copies of the ERBB2 gene in tumor tissue. The result can help...

HPV 16 and HPV 18 Test: Cervical Cancer Risk, High-Risk Genotypes, and Meaning

Learn what positive and negative HPV 16 and HPV 18 results mean, why these high-risk genotypes raise cervical cancer risk, and when colposcopy or other follow-up is recommended.

HPV 16 and HPV 18 testing identifies two high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes that account for a large share of cervical cancers. A positive result...

HPV Test for Cervical Cancer: High-Risk HPV Types, Screening, and Follow-Up

Learn how high-risk HPV testing is used for cervical cancer screening, what positive and negative results mean, which HPV genotypes carry higher risk, and how colposcopy, cytology, and dual stain guide follow-up.

A high-risk HPV test checks a cervical or approved vaginal sample for human papillomavirus types that can cause cervical precancer and cancer. It is...

HRD Test for Ovarian Cancer: Homologous Recombination Deficiency, DNA Repair, and Genomic Score

Learn how HRD testing in ovarian cancer evaluates homologous recombination repair, BRCA mutations, genomic scars and instability scores, and how HRD results can influence PARP inhibitor treatment decisions.

An HRD test looks for evidence that an ovarian cancer has lost an important DNA-repair pathway called homologous recombination. Tumors with homologous recombination deficiency,...

Inhibin A Test for Ovarian Cancer: Granulosa Cell Tumor Marker and Monitoring

Learn how inhibin A is used as a granulosa cell tumor marker, what high and normal results can mean, why inhibin B is often more sensitive, and how serial inhibin A levels can support long-term ovarian cancer monitoring.

An inhibin A blood test can help evaluate and monitor ovarian granulosa cell tumors, a rare group of sex cord-stromal tumors that can produce...

Inhibin B Test for Ovarian Cancer: Granulosa Cell Tumor Marker, Recurrence, and Monitoring

Learn how inhibin B is used to detect and monitor ovarian granulosa cell tumors, what high results can mean, how the marker can signal recurrence, and why serial trends and menopausal status matter.

Inhibin B is one of the most useful blood tumor markers for ovarian granulosa cell tumors, especially adult-type granulosa cell tumors. It is a...

Ki-67 Test for Cervical Dysplasia: Cell Proliferation Marker and CIN Evaluation

Learn how Ki-67 staining reflects abnormal cervical cell proliferation, how p16/Ki-67 dual stain helps triage high-risk HPV results, and how Ki-67 relates to CIN1, CIN2, CIN3, colposcopy, and follow-up.

Ki-67 is a protein found in cells that are actively dividing. In cervical dysplasia, pathologists can use Ki-67 staining to show abnormal cell proliferation,...

LDH Test for Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors: Dysgerminoma Marker, High Levels, and Tumor Burden

Learn how LDH is used as a dysgerminoma marker in ovarian germ cell tumors, what high levels can mean, how LDH relates to tumor burden, and why AFP, beta-hCG, imaging, and serial trends are essential for interpretation.

Lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH, is a blood test that can help evaluate and monitor ovarian dysgerminoma, the most common malignant ovarian germ cell tumor....

MMR IHC Test for Endometrial Cancer: Lynch Syndrome Screening, Mismatch Repair, and IHC Loss

Learn how MMR IHC testing in endometrial cancer evaluates MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6, what protein-loss patterns mean, how Lynch syndrome screening works, and why dMMR status can affect molecular classification and immunotherapy.

Mismatch repair immunohistochemistry, or MMR IHC, is a tumor-tissue test that checks whether four DNA-repair proteins—MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6—are present in endometrial cancer...

OVA1 Test: Ovarian Cancer Risk, Biomarker Score, and Result Meaning

Understand what an OVA1 score means, including the five biomarkers, premenopausal and postmenopausal cutoffs, limitations, accuracy, and next steps for an ovarian mass.

The OVA1 test is a blood-based risk assessment used before surgery in certain adults who already have an ovarian or adnexal mass. It combines...

Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Panel: CA-125, HE4, ROMA, BRCA, HRD, and Tumor Profile

An ovarian cancer biomarker panel is not one fixed laboratory test. It is a group of blood, inherited-gene, and tumor tests chosen for different...

Ovarian Cancer ctDNA Test: Recurrence Monitoring, MRD, Mutation Detection, and Tumor DNA

Learn how ovarian cancer ctDNA tests detect tumor DNA, assess MRD, monitor recurrence, identify mutations, and why results need clinical context.

An ovarian cancer circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test looks for fragments of tumor-derived DNA in blood. It is a type of liquid biopsy that...

Overa Test: Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment and Biomarker Score Meaning

Learn what the Overa ovarian cancer risk test measures, how its 0-to-10 biomarker score and 5.0 cutoff are interpreted, and what high or low results mean before surgery.

The Overa test is a blood-based multivariate index assay used before surgery in women with an adnexal or ovarian mass. It combines five serum...

p16 IHC Test for Cervical Cancer: HPV-Related Tumor Marker, Dysplasia, and Positive Staining

Learn what p16 IHC means in cervical biopsies, how block-positive staining supports HPV-related HSIL, and how p16 differs from HPV testing and p16/Ki-67 dual stain.

The p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) test is a tissue stain that helps pathologists recognize cervical cells affected by transforming high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) activity. In...