Debunking Myths About Ovarian Cancer Screening
- According to the American Cancer Society, there are no reliable screening tests for ovarian cancer at this time
- A screening test is used to detect disease in people with no symptoms
- A pap smear tests for cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer
- If you experience abdominal or pelvic pain or bloating that lasts for three or more months, see your doctor
"Unfortunately, we really don’t have a good screening test for ovarian cancer," says Barbara Dehn, nurse practitioner at El Camino Women's Medical Group. And "there are many myths surrounding ovarian cancer," she adds, including about detection. Here are a few common ones that she hears:
Read More"Unfortunately a CA 125 blood test is not a good screening test for women who have never had ovarian cancer," Dehn explains. "It’s super good for women who have had ovarian cancer and who are getting treatment and we’re seeing if they have a recurrence, but for all other women, there are so many conflicting [conditions] like endometriosis and fibroids that can give us a false positive result. I don’t want [women] to think that the CA 125 is [the way to screen] for ovarian cancer."
Myth 3: A Pelvic Ultrasound Is a Good Screening Tool for Ovarian Cancer
A transvaginal sonogram, also called a transvaginal ultrasound, is a procedure used to examine the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and bladder. An instrument is inserted into the vagina that causes sound waves to bounce off organs inside the pelvis. These sound waves create echoes that are sent to a computer, which creates a picture called a sonogram.
"I have many patients who come to see me and say, 'Barb, I want an ovarian ultrasound.' Now, if you have symptoms like bloating and gas and pain, I’m going to order that for you, but it’s not a good screening test for ovarian cancer.
To clarify, a screening test is what’s used to detect disease in people with no symptoms. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there are "no reliable screening tests" for ovarian cancer at this time for women who have no symptoms and are not considered high-risk.
However, ultrasound is often the first test done if a problem with the ovaries is suspected. It can be used to find an ovarian tumor and to check if it is a solid mass (tumor) or a fluid-filled cyst. It can also be used to get a better look at the ovary to see how big it is and how it looks inside. This helps the doctor decide which masses or cysts are more worrisome.
Be Your Own Best Advocate
So many women are afraid of ovarian cancer, says Dehn, but I want to reassure them, this is a pretty rare condition. "If you have concerns that you might have ovarian cancerlet’s say you’ve had bloating for three months or constipation or pelvic pain, three months is the timeframe that we look at to then order more testing," Dehn says. "If you’ve only had bloating for one or two days, or it comes and goes with your periods, that’s probably not a sign of ovarian cancer. But any kind of abdominal or pelvic pain or bloating that continues for three or more months, those are the things that need to be checked out."
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