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What Is Ovarian Cancer Screening

Ovarian cancer screening means undergoing regular tests with the intention of detecting ovarian cancer before it causes any symptoms.

How do you screen for ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer screening is done using a combination of blood tests and ultrasound scans. The ROCA® Test is a simple blood test that detects the likelihood of a woman having ovarian cancer. It uses her age, menopausal status, risk status and routine blood measurements of CA-125 levels over time to produce a score indicating her risk of having ovarian cancer.

Testing it more than once allows us to monitor changes in the level over time. Levels which increase over time can indicate the presence of an ovarian cancer and significantly raises detection rates of the disease. If the ROCA® Test result is concerning, then you will need to have an ultrasound scan of the pelvis. This is performed internally by using a thin probe inserted into the vagina. The pelvic organs are thoroughly examined with special attention given to the ovaries, where the clinician will look for specific abnormalities.

Do I need to have screening?

This depends on your level of risk and your preferences. Before undergoing screening, we recommend that you have an appointment with one of our experts. They will assess your level of risk, explain the pros and cons of screening to you, and if you want to go ahead, they will arrange your screening, which can be carried out there and then.

How often do I need to be screened?

This depends on whether you are at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer or not. Your risk will be assessed by leading experts in the field. If you fall into the high-risk category, you will usually have three blood tests a year and one ultrasound scan a year. If you do not, then one blood test each year is all that is usually required.