Boost your treatment selection
see why biomarkers matter in ovarian cancer
Patient portrayal.
The role of biomarkers in treatment
In ovarian cancer, biomarkers can be important when it comes to making treatment decisions, especially if the biomarkers are actionable.
An actionable biomarker is a kind of biomarker that can be targeted with medication. These medications are called targeted therapies and include PARP inhibitors, ADCs, and immunotherapies.
If you have one or more actionable biomarkers, you and your doctor may factor this in when deciding what treatment is right for you.
ADC=antibody-drug conjugate; PARP=poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase.
Biomarkers in ovarian cancer*
BRCA1/2
- (breast cancer gene 1 or 2)
- How it is tested
- Drawing blood or using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- Positive for mutation
- Possible treatment type
- PARP inhibitor
FRα
- (folate receptor alpha)
- How it is tested
- Using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- Positive
- Possible treatment type
- ADC
HER2
- (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2)
- How it is tested
- Using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- Positive
- Possible treatment type
- ADC
HRD status
- (homologous recombination deficiency)
- How it is tested
- Using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- Positive
- Possible treatment type
- PARP inhibitor
MMR
- (mismatch repair)
- How it is tested
- Using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- Deficient
- Possible treatment type
- Checkpoint inhibitor
MSI
- (microsatellite instability)
- How it is tested
- Using tissue from a biopsy or surgery
- Actionable result
- High
- Possible treatment type
- Checkpoint inhibitor
*This information is current as of May 2026. Biomarkers and approved medications are frequently updated. Regularly check with your doctor about newly approved medications and testing recommendations.
Talking to your doctor about biomarkers
Discussing biomarker testing with your doctor as early as possible can be an important step in your ovarian cancer treatment journey. By asking to be tested for biomarkers, you are taking an active role in making sure you get the most appropriate treatment.
Questions to ask your doctor:
- Which biomarkers have I been tested for?
- If I haven't been tested for biomarkers yet, should I be?
- When can I be tested for any additional biomarkers?
- How long will it take to get my results?
- Does my cancer have any actionable biomarkers?
- What do my biomarker results mean for treatment?
- Am I eligible for targeted treatments?
- What are the next steps?