EON

A collaborative research study of more than 200,000 post-menopausal women in the UK revealed that a two-fold screening test is effective in detecting early-stage ovarian cancer. This new test for early-stage ovarian cancer is a blood test for the protein called CA125 with an accompanying ultrasound. The preliminary findings of the study showed that the combination of CA125 blood test and ultrasound can detect about 90% of ovarian cancers. If ultrasound is used without the said blood test, only 75% of ovarian cancers are detected.

The blood test for measuring the levels of CA125 protein was devised almost three decades ago but its purpose was different. The detection of levels of CA125 was used to keep a close watch of women who are undergoing treatment for their ovarian cancers. The blood test for CA125 levels was also considered by previous researchers as an early-stage screening test but it was deemed impractical because there were too many false-positive results. Dr. Menon, one of the researchers of the said collaborative study explained that the year-to-year changes of CA125 levels in the blood is more significant than just the CA125 levels found in one blood test. This is why the research study will last for ten years and it is estimated to end in 2014.