USPSTF: Women should skip screening for ovarian cancer
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a draft recommendation on July 18 that says the potential harm from ovarian screening isn’t worth it for women who have no signs or symptoms.
According to the USPSTF, current screening tests and procedures are not accurate, with false-positives often leading to unnecessary surgery.
"The task force found that screening women without signs or symptoms for ovarian cancer does not decrease the number of deaths from the disease, and may lead to unnecessary surgeries," said Maureen Phipps, MD, MPH, in a news release. "Therefore, the task force recommends against screening for ovarian cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms, and who are not at high risk for ovarian cancer.”
The USPSTF graded ovarian screening as a D recommendation, which means “[t]here is moderate or high certainty that the service has no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.”
The USPSTF noted that no other major medical organization recommends screening all women for ovarian cancer.
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.