DETECTING OVARIAN CANCER IN THE EARLY STAGES
Dr Steven R. Goldstein MD, a top gynecologist in NYC, says that early-stage detection of deadly ovarian cancer is vital. There are two large ovarian cancer screening programs. Interestingly enough, The University of Kentucky got a large grant in 1987 and started screening women annually for the presence of ovarian cancer. They picked up 82% of ovarian tumors at stage 1 or 2 which is virtually the opposite of the real world where 82% present at stage 3 or 4. In general, earlier stage detection results in much better survival rates. A large study in Britain had somewhat similar results. However, there was a small number of women, though not insignificant, who presented with ovarian cancer less than a year after their negative screening encounter. Dr Goldstein was extremely interested in these individuals. He believes that if someone came in two or three months after their negative screening with a bellyful of cancer that perhaps some of these tumors were so virulent that no matter what we do it would not be helpful. However, in both of these studies all of those patients were between six and thirteen months since their negative screening encounter. The take-home message is that if you screen annually, you will do well. But if you screen at six-month intervals, you will do even better. Even before he had this scientific information, Dr Goldstein, a gynecologist in NYC had a personal motto that said “over surveillance, under treat.” You see, in some people’s hands, over surveillance leads to over treatment. This can result in unnecessary testing, and, unfortunately, sometimes even unnecessary surgery. It is important to understand the difference between an ominous finding when using