DISPARITIES IN TESTING RATES AMONG OLDER WOMEN AND THOSE ON PUBLIC INSURANCE PERSIST NEW YORK , March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are not receiving the genetic testing that could help guide treatment and improve outcomes, according to a new analysis from Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) and Komodo Health. The report highlights disparities, particularly among women over 65 and those reliant on public insurance. Genetic testing is crucial for identifying BRCA mutations and other markers that guide precision therapies like PARP inhibitors.
OCRA's analysis found that only 52% of women diagnosed between 2016 and 2023 received genetic testing, despite universal recommendations. Women with commercial insurance were 37% more likely to be tested than those with public insurance. While 62% of commercially insured patients received testing, only 38% on Medicare FFS and 40% on Medicaid did.
Younger patients were tested at significantly higher rates than older ones. "These findings underscore the urgent need to ensure that every woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has access to genetic testing and the potentially life-saving treatment insights it can provide," said Audra Moran , President and CEO of OCRA. "The fact that nearly half of all ovarian cancer patients are not being tested is unacceptable, and it is particularly concerning that older women and those on public insurance face the greatest barriers.
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