Test fails to spot ovarian cancer
From Times Wire Reports
Annual screening with a technique called transvaginal ultrasound, coupled with a blood test for CA125, a protein that can be elevated in the setting of ovarian cancer, does not reliably detect ovarian cancer early, at a more curable stage, a new study finds.
“We and other groups confirm that the current method of ovarian screening, which is a combination of ultrasound scans and [blood] markers, is ineffective,” said Dr. Emma R. Woodward of Birmingham Women’s Hospital in Britain.
Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult, and the disease often is not detected until it has reached an advanced stage.
