The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has reaffirmed its 2004 recommendation against routine screening for ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women, according to a statement published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The USPSTF found adequate evidence that annual screening with transvaginal ultrasonography and testing for the serum tumor marker cancer antigen (CA)-125 in women does not reduce the number of deaths from ovarian cancer. In addition, screening for ovarian cancer can lead to important harms, including major surgical interventions in women who do not have cancer.
Women with known risk factors for ovarian cancer such as certain genetic mutations, Lynch syndrome, or a family history of the disease should discuss the benefits and harms of screening with their doctors, the task force said.
