'Symptom triggered' testing can pick up early stage aggressive ovarian cancer in 1 in 4 of those affected: Study
'Symptom triggered testing', prompted by symptoms such as pain, abdominal bloating/swelling, and feeling full soon after starting to eat, can pick up early-stage aggressive ovarian cancer in 1 in 4 of those affected, finds a data analysis, published online in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.
The study found that complete surgical removal of cancerous tissue was achievable in 60% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer based on the study's approach. This challenged the assumption that symptoms always indicate advanced disease in ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. While the five-year survival rate is over 93% for women diagnosed with early-stage (I or II) ovarian cancer, it drops significantly to just 13% for those with advanced-stage (III or IV) disease.
Research indicates that symptoms can precede diagnosis by 3 months to 3 years, but these symptoms are often vague, complicating early detection. Symptoms such as pain, abdominal swelling or bloating, and feeling full quickly after eating are linked to ovarian cancer and should prompt urgent investigation or 'symptom-triggered testing.'
The study analyzed data from 1,741 women participating in the Refining Ovarian Cancer Test accuracy Scores (ROCkeTS) study. All participants had been fast-tracked for treatment under a symptom-triggered testing protocol.
Among these women, 119 (7%) were diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. The average age of these women was 63, though ages ranged from 32 to 89, with 90% having gone through menopause.
Most of these women (112, or 94%) experienced minimal interference with their daily lives, being classified with a performance status of 0 or 1, meaning they were either fully active or able to perform all activities except strenuous ones.
This approach allows for the detection of high-grade serous ovarian cancer at an earlier stage, which can improve treatment outcomes and enhance the likelihood of successful surgical intervention. In the long run, further exploration of urine biomarkers may be desirable, considered the potential convenience of urinary assays in screening populations.
References: G.L. Andriole, D. Reding, R.B. Hayes, P.C. Prorok and J.K. Gohagan, The prostate, lung, colon, and ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening trial: Status and promise, Urol Oncol 22(4) (2004), 358–361.
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