Ultrasound Assessment of Ovarian Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Author Information
Author(s): Menon U, Talaat A, Jeyarajah A R, Rosenthal A N, MacDonald N D, Skates S J, Sibley K, Oram D H, Jacobs I J
Primary Institution: Gynaecology Cancer Research Unit, St. Bartholomew's and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Hypothesis
This study was undertaken to assess the value of pelvic ultrasound for further stratification of ovarian cancer risk.
Conclusion
Ultrasound can effectively separate post-menopausal women with raised CA125 levels into those at increased risk of index cancer and those who are not.
Supporting Evidence
- In asymptomatic post-menopausal women, serum CA125 elevation is associated with a 36-fold increase in risk of ovarian cancer.
- Twenty index cancers were diagnosed among 741 women during a median follow-up of 6.8 years.
- Women with normal ovarian morphology had a cumulative risk of index cancer of 0.15%.
- Women with abnormal ovarian morphology had a cumulative risk of 24%.
Takeaway
Doctors used ultrasound to check if women with high CA125 levels might have ovarian cancer, and it helped them figure out who was at risk.
Methodology
Pelvic ultrasonography was performed on post-menopausal women with elevated CA125 levels.
Limitations
The study only included women with CA125 ≥ 30 U ml−1 and may not represent all post-menopausal women.
Participant Demographics
Post-menopausal women aged ≥ 45 years.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.02–1.12 for normal morphology; 95% CI 15–37 for abnormal morphology.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website