# Serum long noncoding RNA FAM83H-AS1 serves as a potential noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for ovarian cancer

## TL;DR

This study shows that a specific RNA in the blood, called FAM83H-AS1, could help diagnose ovarian cancer and track its progression.

## Contribution

This is the first study to demonstrate the potential of serum FAM83H-AS1 as a noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for ovarian cancer.

## Key findings

- Serum FAM83H-AS1 levels are significantly higher in ovarian cancer patients compared to healthy controls and benign cases.
- Combining FAM83H-AS1 with ROMA improves diagnostic accuracy for ovarian cancer.
- Elevated FAM83H-AS1 is linked to worse progression-free survival in ovarian cancer patients.

## Abstract

The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) FAM83H-AS1 plays a critical role in the development and progression of various cancers. This study evaluates the feasibility of serum FAM83H-AS1 as a diagnostic and staging marker for ovarian cancer (OC), addressing its previously unclear diagnostic value.

Our study included 118 patients diagnosed with OC, 73 individuals with benign ovarian disease (BOD), and 61 healthy controls (HCs). The expression of serum FAM83H-AS1 was quantified via RNA extraction followed by RT-qPCR. The levels of CA125 and HE4 were detected via a chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay, and the risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic effect of FAM83H-AS1. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to identify independent prognostic factors, while Kaplan–Meier analysis with the log-rank test was used to compare survival differences.

The levels of FAM83H-AS1 were significantly elevated in OC patients compared with those in individuals with BOD and HCs (P < 0.001). Additionally, FAM83H-AS1 expression levels were markedly higher in advanced TNM stages and in cases of metastasis. ROC curve analysis demonstrated robust diagnostic performance for FAM83H-AS1 alone (AUC = 0.824), and the combined FAM83H-AS1 + ROMA panel achieved superior accuracy (AUC = 0.909). Stepwise multivariate analysis identified FAM83H-AS1 as an independent diagnostic predictor for OC. A unit increase in this marker was associated with a 6.9% increase in the odds of OC (P = 0.030). FAM83H-AS1 levels were positively correlated with TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis, distal metastasis, peritoneal metastasis, and established biomarkers (CA125, HE4, and ROMA; P < 0.05). Notably, postoperative FAM83H-AS1 levels were significantly lower in 22 paired patients (P < 0.01), confirming its tumor-derived origin. Survival analysis indicated that elevated serum levels of FAM83H-AS1 expression serve as an independent prognostic factor associated with decreased progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 8.251, P = 0.041). However, it failed to exhibit independent prognostic significance for overall survival (OS), as the correlation with OS observed in the univariate analysis was rendered non-significant in the multivariate analysis after adjusting for TNM stage. Kaplan-Meier curves further validated significantly worse survival outcomes for patients categorized in the high-expression group (P < 0.05).

This research is the first to indicate that serum FAM83H-AS1 may serve as a novel noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis of OC. The combination of FAM83H-AS1 and ROMA demonstrated excellent diagnostic efficacy. Serum FAM83H-AS1 is promising for monitoring the stage and progression of OC patients.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-026-01995-1.