Type II cancers are typically high grade, aggressive, associated with poor survival, and are characterised by loss-of-function mutations of TP53 and BRCA1/2 and thus display genomic instability.4 It is well established that Type II cancers (mainly high-grade serous cancers) account for most ovarian cancer mortality and early detection of these tumours is likely to translate into mortality benefit. This evidence concerns the gene BRCA1 and cancer.