An Update On Ovarian Cancer Screening

EDITORIAL COMMENT: The overall perspective for screening for cancer in women seems to be that the need for screening for cervical cancer is well‐established and is relatively efficient although increasing emphasis is required to enrol the over 50's less than 50% of whom are currently regularly examined in Victoria A . The cytological screening examination for cervical cancer also detects approximately 40% of cases of endometrial cancer; the examiner also has the opportunity to inspect the vagina and vulva for clinical evidence of pathology. The screening for breast cancer by mammography is a major initiative in Australia supported by the various State governments and holds high prospects for improvement in the early detection of this most important of female cancers. There is no doubt that women with an identified family risk of ovarian cancer warrant regular screening, or in some cases prophylactic oophorectomy, but it seems to the Editorial Subcommittee that the case is not proven by the data so far available that sophisticated screening of the general population for ovarian cancer is cost‐effective. It would be interesting to compare whether colonoscopy every 3 to 5 years in the over 40 age group has higher priority than annual transvaginal ultrasound and colour Doppler examination combined with CA 125 screening for ovarian cancer as suggested in this paper. Governments will, when funds are available, respond to the case made for the detection of the most common identifiable curable cancers. Carcinoma of the ovary remains, in spite of its importance, the Cinderella in terms of prospects for early detection of invasive lesions. (A) 57% screened in the last 3 years for the 50–59 year age group and 33% for the 60–69 year age group (Heather Mitchell, Medical Director, Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry, statement to the Editor).