An ultrasound test was able to detect 96% of ovarian cancers in postmenopausal women in a study carried out in the United Kingdom. Published in Lancet Oncology, a renowned medical journal, on Monday (30), the findings indicate the potential for imaging to replace the standard test for diagnosing the disease.
The research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research and Care (NIHR) and led by Professor Sudha Sundar from the University of Birmingham, UK. The work compared all currently available tests to diagnose ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women in a study of high-quality diagnostic test accuracy.
According to the National Cancer Institute (Inca), ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecological neoplasia, behind only cervical cancer, with an estimated 7,310 new cases per year. Among the risk factors for the disease are age and reproductive and hormonal factors, including late menopause (after age 52), in addition to family history, excess body fat and genetic factors (such as mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the same that increases the risk of breast cancer).
Currently, in Brazil, the most requested tests to diagnose ovarian cancer are the CA-125 tumor marker (measured through a blood test), transvaginal ultrasound (which identifies the size of the ovaries), computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis ( assists in better characterizing the pelvic mass), magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis (evaluates the pelvic organs and assists in diagnosis), and X-ray or chest tomography (evaluates whether the cancer has spread to the lungs).
In the UK, the current standard for diagnosis is the risk of malignancy test (RMI1), which identifies up to 83% of ovarian cancers. In the current study, of the six diagnostic tests analyzed, a model called IOTA ADNEX — which analyzes ultrasound characteristics — had better accuracy and was able to detect up to 96% of women with ovarian cancer.
Given the results, the researchers recommend that a new model replace the current standard treatment test in the United Kingdom and, in addition, suggest that the new test can accelerate the early diagnosis of the disease.
“This is the first time that a head-to-head study of all available ovarian cancer tests has been done in the same population. Here, we study its use with symptomatic postmenopausal women who are most at risk of this cancer. Our study found that the IOTA ADNEX ultrasound protocol had the highest sensitivity for detecting ovarian cancer compared to standard of care and other tests,” explained Sundar, in a press release.
“Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is vital, and we are pleased to see this research demonstrate that there are more accurate ways to use ultrasound. The sooner and sooner ovarian cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and the more successful the results will be,” comments Annwen Jones OBE, CEO of Target Ovarian Cancer, in the release.
“Along with this groundbreaking research, we need to see greater awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer so that women know to see their doctor to get tested and receive the best possible treatment as quickly as possible. It is crucial that new ways of working like this are implemented as quickly as possible”, he adds.
Endometriosis increases the risk of ovarian cancer by four times
This content was originally published in New ultrasound test can detect ovarian cancer with 96% accuracy on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
