More from Prevention: The Scary Connection Between Height And Cancer Risk Although the task force made the same recommendation in 2004, many women are still screened on an annual basis in the hopes of not being one of the 15,500 women the American Cancer Society estimates will die of ovarian cancer this year. “Too many women are dying needlessly from ovarian cancer,” says radiologist Margaret Cuomo, MD, author of the upcoming A World Without Cancer and sister of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. So how can you take preventative measures in light of the new recommendations? Here, Dr. Cuomo weighs in: Why don’t regular ovarian cancer screenings reduce the number of related deaths? Currently, the screening methods for ovarian cancer include a blood test called CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasounds. And they are far from perfect, says Dr. Cuomo. Low-risk women who regularly undergo blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds generally aren’t diagnosed any earlier than women who are not screened annually. About 72% of the cancers that are found through annual screenings are already in the late stage of diagnosis, according to the study. What harm could screening do? It turns out a lot—particularly if your test delivers false-positive results. In the study, about 10% of the women who were screened experienced false-positive results, leading a third of those women to undergo unnecessary surgery. Moreover, 15% of them experienced at least one serious complication from that surgery. According to Dr. Cuomo, blood tests can deliver false-positive results particularly in pregnant women or those with uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, or tuberculosis, while transvaginal ultrasounds can return false positives for benign cysts. Is there anyone who should be regularly screened? Yes, but only if you’re at high risk. “The tests aren’t perfect, but they are all we have right now,” says Dr. Cuomo. “If you are at high risk for ovarian cancer you should use whatever is available to you.” Also, ask your doctor about screening if you experience any symptoms of ovarian cancer, such as irregular vaginal bleeding, persistent urinary or bowel problems, or continued bloating, pelvic, and back pain. What factors put a woman at high risk for developing ovarian cancer? Your family history of ovarian cancer—and breast cancer—can greatly influence your ovarian cancer risk. That’s because both cancers can develop from BRCA1 and BRCA2 hereditary gene mutations. (Genetic testing can determine if you have these genetic mutations.) While you can’t change your genes, eating a healthy diet can decrease your risk of ovarian cancer, says Dr.Cuomo. Because the chance of developing (and dying) from ovarian cancer is higher in obese women, exercise could also contribute to a reduced risk. Also, as oral contraception use and pregnancy correlate with a lower risk, some experts believe that increased ovulation could contribute to the development of ovarian cancer.
