Study: Tests Find Ovarian Cancer Early

Screening tests can help to detect ovarian cancer about two years sooner, a study has found. About half of the cancers found were early-stage. At this stage, about 9 out of 10 women survive. But ovarian cancer usually is found late, when only 3 out of 10 survive. The study included 200,000 women over 50. Half received no tests for the disease. The others were divided into two groups. One group received a blood test for a protein called CA125. If the test was abnormal, they received an ultrasound as well. The second group received only an ultrasound. In the first group, the two tests picked up 89% of the cancers. Ultrasound alone found 75%. The study was published in the journal Lancet Oncology. The Associated Press wrote about it March 11.