Women over 35 may benefit from more frequent screening that’s designed to pick up ovarian cancer, says a new report. Researchers from University College London gathered data to see what difference screening made to the wellness of women in high risk groups for the disease. The results suggested that if the results were taken on-board by the NHS, we could have a greater defence against ovarian cancer.
The study
Some 3,500 women over 35-years old took part in the survey and were monitored for signs of the cancer between 2002 and 2008. The study was part-funded by both Cancer Research UK and the Eve Appeal. The research aimed to show how helpful it is to the wellbeing of women in these groups to be screened on a yearly basis, with 26 of the participants in the study being diagnosed with fallopian tube or ovarian cancers.
Results
Researchers explained that the yearly health monitoring managed to pick up signs of ovarian cancer, giving women the chance to benefit from medical treatments to tackle the condition. But,
Adam Rosenthal lead author of the survey said that although more women were identified with ovarian cancer, the number of participants that were found to be at the earlier stages of the disease did not increase. This means that yearly health monitoring may still not catch the cancer when it can be treated before it spreads.
The future
Rosenthal said that women who may be more likely to get ovarian cancer could benefit from a four monthly health screening system to spot the condition in its earlier stages, potentially making it more treatable. Because of the results of this survey, researchers are currently looking at the results of more frequent health screening, which if successful could have an impact on how we are monitored for the disease. Cancer Research UK’s health information manager Jessica Harris reminded women to visit their GPs if they have possible symptoms of the condition, including bloating, a constant full feeling and tummy pain.
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