Blood test for ovarian cancer misses some Black and Native American patients, study finds

A new study finds that a common blood test for ovarian cancer may miss some Black and Native American patients, delaying their treatment. It’s the latest example of medical tests contributing to health care disparities. The new study was published Thursday in JAMA Network Open. Researchers analyzed data from more than 200,000 women. Black and Native American patients were 23% less likely to have an elevated level on the blood test compared with white patients, suggesting the thresholds are too high. Recently, the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion has jeopardized research that uncovers bias in medicine.