The Cherish Women’s Cancer Foundation, a Brisbane-based charity, has launched a smartphone app to help women with ovarian cancer self-monitor their treatment and results. The app is set to improve the lives of many Australian women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.

Brainchild of leading gynaecological oncologist, researcher and Cherish co-founder Professor Andreas Obermair, the CA-125 app will allow women diagnosed with ovarian cancer to self-monitor their treatment and results.

The app is named after the CA-125 protein, which is produced by ovarian cancer cells and shed into the bloodstream where it can be detected. Commonly referred to as a ‘tumour marker’, CA-125 levels are monitored through regular blood tests before, during and after treatment to track cancer progress.

After entering their holistic medical treatment into the smartphone app, patients will be able to follow the trends between their treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and radiation) and tumour marker changes, and the subsequent impact of various lifestyle factors on their cancer test results.