title: Ovarian cancer screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review presents the current knowledge on ovarian cancer screening (OCS) together with a cumulative evaluation of the efficacy across diverse screening approaches based on up-to-date results.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic literature search was conducted targeting reports on the effectiveness of the various screening strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two prospective studies, 18 cohorts and 4 randomised control trials (RCTs) were retrieved. Where possible, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values, as well as the number needed to treat for each cancer (NNT) and each stage I disease [NNT (I)] detected are reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The multimodal approach that incorporates CA125 as a primary and ultrasound as a secondary test appears to be superior to other strategies. However, the conclusive end-point that would provide the acceptable level of evidence for the introduction of screening should be a reduction in mortality. Up-to-date, there is no such evidence to justify this.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hammersmith Hospital, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, W12 OHS.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyrgiou
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsoumpou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin-Hirsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arbyn
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prendiville
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koliopoulos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dalkalitsis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stamatopoulos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paraskevaidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies