Screening for Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

In randomized trials conducted among average-risk, asymptomatic women, ovarian cancer mortality did not significantly differ between screened women and those with no screening or in usual care. Screening harms included surgery (with major surgical complications) in women found to not have cancer. Further research is needed to identify effective approaches for reducing ovarian cancer incidence and mortality.

Risk of high-grade serous ovarian cancer associated with pelvic inflammatory disease, parity and breast cancer

“…It is likely that at least some of these affected women carried a BRCA mutation, which is associated with an increased risk of both breast and ovarian cancer, particularly HGSC. There is currently no reliable screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer [50,51]. As the cost of genetic testing becomes more affordable, it may be worthwhile expanding the criteria for women in whom genetic testing is appropriate.…”

BRCA germline mutations in an unselected nationwide cohort of Chinese patients with ovarian cancer and healthy controls

“…Furthermore, no early screening strategy has been proven effective [3]. The unreliable evaluated screening interventions such as transvaginal ultrasound or/and CA-125 level made it difficult to diagnose OC at early stage [4].…”

The Translational Status of Cancer Liquid Biopsies

“…Assays for classic circulating protein biomarkers have been in clinical use for a couple of decades. Systematic reviews call in question the indiscriminate use of some of these biomarkers for population-wide screening [280][281][282][283], with the major limitation being a lack of specificity to a single cancer type, and high false positive rates associated with non-cancerous conditions [284]. These issues can translate into unnecessary treatments that harm patients and increase healthcare costs.…”