Diagnostic Tools

There are several diagnostic tests that can be used to detect ovarian cancer. The three most common tools are: Vaginal-rectal pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound and CA 125 blood test. Because of the margin of error associated with each of the tests, they are most effective when used in combination with each other. Other diagnostic tools include transvaginal color flow Doppler, CT (or CAT) Scan, and Lower GI series or barium enema [occasionally].

There are several diagnostic tests that can be used to detect ovarian cancer. The three most common tools are:

Vaginal-rectal pelvic exam: a careful exam that pays particular attention to the ovaries, uterus, bladder and rectum. Experts recommend that this exam be done annually.

Transvaginal ultrasound: a test in which sound waves are used to create a picture of the ovaries. It cannot determine if you have cancer, however, there are characteristics that give different levels of suspicion.

CA-125 blood test: blood test which measures a substance in the blood that may increase when a cancerous tumor is present. This protein is produced by ovarian cancer cells and is elevated in about 80 percent of women with advanced ovarian cancers and 50 percent of those with early-stage cancers.

CA-125 may be elevated during ovulation, and in the presence of another type of cancer or benign conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids. As a result, CA-125 tends to be more accurate in post menopausal women than premenopausal women. Because CA-125 misses half of early cancers and can be elevated by benign conditions, the National Cancer Institute does not endorse using it to screen women at ordinary risk. However, important research is being done to determine how to increase the accuracy of this test including studies using a “baseline” CA-125 level.

The only way to confirm a diagnosis of ovarian cancer suggested by the above tests is through examining a sample of the tumor tissue under a microscope. There are several surgical techniques that can be used to obtain a sample tissue. The procedure used will depend on many factors and will ultimately be decided by the surgeon.