What is ovarian cancer screening?

The article was consulted with Specialist Doctor I To Kim Sang - Internal Oncologist - Oncology Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Ovarian cancer is considered a "silent killer" for women, because the disease progresses quietly. 70% of cases when the disease is detected, it is usually in the advanced and metastatic stage. So is ovarian cancer screening useful? Please refer to the following article!

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the ovaries. The disease is divided into three different types based on the malignancy of the cell origin, namely carcinoma, germ cell cancer and stromal-gonadal cancer. In which, carcinoma is more common, accounting for 70%-75% and has a worse prognosis. Currently, ovarian cancer is completely treatable if detected early. However, this type of disease is difficult to detect if the disease is only in its early stages.

In the early stages, we often do not detect the disease because the body does not show any symptoms. When the disease is more severe, some symptoms begin to appear, we often confuse it with other diseases, leading to the diagnosis of the disease, it is often too late and it is no longer possible to cure it.
According to statistics, for early stage ovarian carcinoma, ie when the disease is still localized, the 5-year survival rate of patients is more than 90%. This rate will drop to about 75% if the disease is locally advanced and to only 31% if the disease has metastasized.

Through many studies looking for ways to screen for ovarian cancer, there is still no study that shows that screening helps reduce mortality from the disease. Therefore, screening for ovarian cancer is still not strongly recommended.
However, in some cases, people with an increased risk of ovarian cancer or those with a genetically linked risk of ovarian cancer may benefit from screening.
People with increased risk have 3-6 times higher risk of developing the disease than the general population:
People who have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, brother, daughter) with ovarian cancer. People with a personal history of breast cancer before the age of 40. People with a personal history of breast cancer before the age of 50 and a family history of one or more relatives with breast or ovarian cancer at any age. People with a family history of two or more relatives with breast cancer before age 50 or ovarian cancer of any age. Ashkenazi Jewish and with a personal history of breast cancer before age 50. Ashkenazi Jews have a family history of two or more relatives with breast cancer before age 50 or ovarian cancer of any age. People with genetic risk are more than 6 times more likely to develop the disease than the general population:
Carriers of BRCA1, BRCA2 gene mutations. Carriers of the mismatch repair gene mutations MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6. Deciding whether you should have epithelial ovarian cancer screening should be discussed with your doctor to assess the benefits and risks of screening.

Except for the routine gynecological examination, the two tests used to screen for ovarian cancer today are the blood test measuring the tumor biomarker CA-125 and the transvaginal ultrasound- TVUS). These two tests should be done at the same time to help increase the likelihood of detecting the disease.
CA-125 test: CA-125 is a protein in the blood. Increased CA-125 levels may be due to secretions from ovarian cancer cells or from other benign medical conditions such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease. Furthermore, not all ovarian cancer cases have elevated CA-125 biomarkers. The CA-125 test is only really useful when used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for known cases of ovarian cancer. Transvaginal ultrasound: is a method that uses an ultrasound probe inserted into the vagina to clearly visualize the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries to determine the presence of tumors, but cannot evaluate the tumor is benign or malignant.

Better methods to screen for ovarian carcinoma are being studied. It is hoped that new improvements in screening tests will be effective, helping to detect the disease early and reduce the risk of dying from the disease.
Gynecological cancer screening and early detection services at Vinmec of Vinmec help: Check gynecological function. Perform necessary tests to help detect early diseases: cervical - uterine - ovarian cancer even when there are no symptoms. When registering for the Gynecological Cancer Screening and Early Detection Package, customers will get:
Examination and consultation with a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Cervical cancer screening by tests such as cytology by Liqui Prep method, automated system HPV genotype PCR test, transvaginal ultrasound test of uterus and ovaries. With a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors, fully equipped with specialized facilities to diagnose the disease and stage it before treatment, especially in cancer treatment, Vinmec International General Hospital is the perfect address to help you detect and treat health problems, protect your life.
If you need more advice and examination at Vinmec Health System Hospitals nationwide, please book an appointment on the website for service.