Ovarian cancer screening

Abstract

Purpose: To review potential screening tools of early ovarian cancer and the associated risk factors for the development of ovarian carcinoma.

Design and results: A review of pertinent literature was conducted, restricted to English-language published reports, book chapters, and articles. The value of serum tumor markers, particularly CA 125, ultrasound, transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonography, and transvaginal color Doppler imaging as screening tools for ovarian cancer was assessed.

Conclusion: Based on the literature, a large-scale long-term study that compares the mortality rates of a screened versus unscreened patient population is required before the efficacy of any screening method can be determined definitively.