Screening for , ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer
Experts do not recommend screening people at average risk for ovarian, or primary peritoneal cancer if they have no symptoms. Even in high-risk people, screening for these cancers is not reliable and has not been shown to improve cancer outcomes. If you are at high risk for these cancers, it is important to discuss the benefits and limitations of ovarian cancer screening with your doctor.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer
If you have an increased risk, you should know the possible signs of ovarian cancer and report persistent symptoms to your doctor, including:
- Bloating
- Pelvic or abdominal pain
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
Types of screening
Screening for , ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer usually includes a combination of the following:
- A pelvic exam is an internal vaginal exam by a health care provider to look and feel for abnormalities of the reproductive system.
- Transvaginal involves an device inserted into the vagina, which uses sound waves to look for any abnormal changes in the ovary.
- CA125 is a protein in the blood that is sometimes elevated in women with ovarian cancer. The test is considered neither sensitive nor specific for finding ovarian cancers in high-risk women.
Screening for average risk people
Experts do not recommend routine screening people at average risk of , primary peritoneal or ovarian cancer.
Find Experts
The following resources can help you locate an expert near you.
Finding gynecologists with expertise in cancer risk and treatment
- The Foundation for Women's Cancer has a search tool to help you find a gynecologic oncologist.
Related experts
Some symptoms and conditions related to female reproduction may be managed by other experts.
Fertility experts
- The Oncofertility Consortium maintains a national database of healthcare providers with expertise in fertility preservation and treatment of people who are diagnosed with cancer or have a high risk for cancer due to an .
- Livestrong has a listing of 450 sites that offer fertility preservation options for people diagnosed with cancer.
Financial assistance may be available to make the cost of fertility preservation affordable for more patients. Patients are referred to those programs as needed.
Menopause experts
- The North American Menopause Society has a tool to help you find a qualified menopause expert in your area.
Sexual health experts
- The Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) has a search tool to find experts in your area who provide sexual health care services.
- The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) maintains a tool to help people find a sexual health expert near them.
Other ways to find experts
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers deliver cutting-edge cancer care to patients in communities across the United States. Most centers have specialized screening and prevention centers for high-risk people. Find a center near you and learn about its specific research capabilities, programs, and initiatives.
- Register for the FORCE Message Boards to get referrals from other members. Once you register, you can post on the Find a Specialist board to connect with other people who share your situation.
updated: 04/09/2023
Open Clinical Trials
The following are studies looking at ovarian cancer screening or prevention.
- NCT04251052: A Study to Compare Two Surgical Procedures in Women with Mutations to Assess Reduced Risk of Ovarian Cancer (SOROCk). This study is looking at whether women with mutations who remove just the can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer nearly as much as women who remove their ovaries and .
- NCT05287451: Risk Reducing With Delayed as an Alternative to Risk- Reducing Salpingo-oophorectomy in High Risk-Women to Assess the Safety of Prevention. This study will look at outcomes in women with , , , and who remove their , followed by removal of their ovaries compared to women who undergo standard-of-care removal of their ovaries and at the same time.
- Validating a Blood Test for Early Ovarian Cancer Detection in High-risk Women and Families: MicroRNA Detection Study (MiDE). The goal of MiDe is to develop a test to detect early-onset ovarian cancer. Currently, no reliable screening or early detection tests are available. Participants can be expected to provide up to 4 tubes of blood every 6 months for up to 5 years. These samples can be collected by mobile phlebotomy all around the US.
- NCT04794322: Developing a Test for the Detection of Ovarian Cancer. This study aims to develop an ovarian cancer early detection test that looks at found in a uterine (womb) washing and proteins found in the blood. Participants will not receive the results of their tests.
Additional clinical trials for ovarian cancer screening and prevention may be found here.
updated: 09/11/2022