Ovarian Cancer Screening Techniques

The methods of ovarian cancer screening (OCS) is based on the premise that results will improve if the cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.

The potential benefit of a screening test for ovarian cancer is the ability to identify the disease in its early stages, when treatment is more likely to be effective.

Such a test should have high sensitivity (i.e., a positive test in individuals with the disease) and high specificity (i.e., a negative test in individuals without the disease) with an acceptable positive predictive value (i.e., probability that a person who tests positive has the disease). At present, no such screening test exists for ovarian cancer.

According to NIH, insufficient evidence exists to recommend population-based screening for ovarian cancer because currently available methods have not been shown to be effective in reducing mortality and morbidity from the disease (NIH Consensus Development Panel on Ovarian Cancer, 1995).

Recommendations for management of women with known hereditary mutations include participation in clinical screening trials, referral to a gynecologic oncologist, annual bimanual rectovaginal examinations, CA-125 determinations, and ultrasound.

Most authorities do not advocate CA-125 and ultrasound for the detection of early-stage ovarian cancer in women at average risk. A bimanual rectovaginal examination, ultrasound, and CA-125 blood test are three modalities used to screen for ovarian cancer, although their ability to detect early-stage ovarian cancer is poor. Doctors should be aware of the concerns regarding these methods and direct their patients toward the most appropriate management plan based on their personal risk of developing ovarian cancer.

New developments in the ability to detect ovarian cancer in an early and highly treatable stage are emerging. The ability to detect ovarian cancer by a simple blood test long has been a goal in medical screening, but another option, an ovarian Pap test, also may assist in identifying early-stage or premalignant disease.

The hope is that the combination of an ovarian cancer-specific blood test(s), an ovarian Pap test, and improvements in diagnostic imaging will allow for the accurate identification of early-stage ovarian cancer. Nurses should have a thorough understanding of these screening developments  so that they can educate their patients and peers. Doctors can provide comprehensive education about new scientific developments and their clinical applications. 

Last updated Nov 26/06