Overview
A Danish prospective multicenter study has examined whether adding human epididymis protein 4, known as HE4, to the IOTA ADNEX model improves the ability to distinguish benign from malignant adnexal masses. Adnexal masses are growths in the region of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or nearby pelvic structures. Correctly identifying which masses are likely to be cancerous is important because it helps guide referral, surgery, follow-up, and counseling.
The study found that HE4 added only limited value overall. In a tertiary referral center, performance improved slightly in some risk thresholds, but in non-tertiary centers the addition of HE4 did not meaningfully improve the model. Overall, the results do not support routinely adding HE4 to the ADNEX model.