Screening may reduce risk of advanced ovarian cancer diagnosis

Screening women at high risk of ovarian cancer every four months may reduce the likelihood of them being diagnosed with advanced cancer, according to the results of the UK Familial Ovarian Cancer Screening Study (UK FOCSS), which is led by UCL. It remains uncertain whether detecting ovarian cancer by screening increases the chances of a woman surviving the disease. For women at high risk, the current medical advice is to have their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed after having completed their families, but many women delay or decide against having the surgery. The UK FOCSS results, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology , indicate that four monthly screening with the Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA) may be an option for these women until they decide to undergo surgery. The algorithm is used to look for rising levels of a blood protein, CA 125, which can be elevated in ovarian cancer. Over 4,000 women with a 1 in 10 or greater risk of developing ovarian cancer due to family history or a faulty gene, took part in the study after declining surgery. A significant proportion of these cancers occur before the age of 50 but many women are keen to delay surgery until they have completed their families or had a natural menopause.