We have located links that may give you full text access.
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Ovarian cancer screening.
Cancer 1993 Februrary 16
BACKGROUND: Despite advances in evaluation and treatment, ovarian cancer mortality has decreased minimally during the past two decades. Most patients have advanced-stage disease at diagnosis, and the prognosis is poor. As a result, there has been increasing interest in the development of methods for the early detection of ovarian cancer. To benefit from screening, a disease should (1) be a significant cause of mortality, (2) have a high prevalence in the screened population, (3) have a preclinical phase that can be detected by screening, and (4) be amenable to therapy, such that the survival rate of patients with early-stage disease is significantly higher than that of patients with advanced-stage disease. Ovarian cancer fulfils all of these criteria.
METHODS: An optimal screening method should be safe, easy to do, time efficient, and acceptable to the patients being screened. Most importantly, it should have a high sensitivity and specificity.
RESULTS: Currently, the most effective screening methods for ovarian cancer are serum CA 125 levels and transvaginal sonography (TVS). In screening studies, the serum CA 125 level has had a reasonably high specificity but a low sensitivity. Currently, approximately 8000 asymptomatic women have been screened with TVS. Ten primary ovarian cancers were detected, and all were Stage I lesions. Patients whose tumors were detected by TVS all have been cured by conventional treatment. TVS screening has resulted in a significant reduction in stage at detection and in the case-specific death rate from ovarian cancer. In these studies, TVS has had a high sensitivity but only a moderate specificity. CA 125 level, Doppler flow sonography, and the use of a morphology index are being evaluated as methods to increase the specificity of TVS.
CONCLUSIONS: A large multiinstitutional study is indicated to determine if annual TVS screening will cause a significant decrease in site-specific mortality from ovarian cancer.
METHODS: An optimal screening method should be safe, easy to do, time efficient, and acceptable to the patients being screened. Most importantly, it should have a high sensitivity and specificity.
RESULTS: Currently, the most effective screening methods for ovarian cancer are serum CA 125 levels and transvaginal sonography (TVS). In screening studies, the serum CA 125 level has had a reasonably high specificity but a low sensitivity. Currently, approximately 8000 asymptomatic women have been screened with TVS. Ten primary ovarian cancers were detected, and all were Stage I lesions. Patients whose tumors were detected by TVS all have been cured by conventional treatment. TVS screening has resulted in a significant reduction in stage at detection and in the case-specific death rate from ovarian cancer. In these studies, TVS has had a high sensitivity but only a moderate specificity. CA 125 level, Doppler flow sonography, and the use of a morphology index are being evaluated as methods to increase the specificity of TVS.
CONCLUSIONS: A large multiinstitutional study is indicated to determine if annual TVS screening will cause a significant decrease in site-specific mortality from ovarian cancer.
Full text links
Related Resources
Trending Papers
Challenges in Septic Shock: From New Hemodynamics to Blood Purification Therapies.Journal of Personalized Medicine 2024 Februrary 4
Molecular Targets of Novel Therapeutics for Diabetic Kidney Disease: A New Era of Nephroprotection.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024 April 4
The 'Ten Commandments' for the 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of endocarditis.European Heart Journal 2024 April 18
A Guide to the Use of Vasopressors and Inotropes for Patients in Shock.Journal of Intensive Care Medicine 2024 April 14
Diagnosis and Management of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Circulation 2024 April 19
Essential thrombocythaemia: A contemporary approach with new drugs on the horizon.British Journal of Haematology 2024 April 9
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app