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There are no screening guidelines or broadly-accepted screening techniques for identifying ovarian cancer.

A new study released by the American Cancer Society shows that a new symptom index may help identify ovarian cancer at an earlier stage. 

The specific symptoms that are most often associated with ovarian cancer are pelvic and abdominal pain, increased abdominal size and bloating, difficulty eating and feeling full.  They were present for less than 12 months and occurred at least 12 days per month. 

Researchers developed a symptom index and showed that the index had a sensitivity of 57 percent for early-stage ovarian cancer and 80 percent for advanced-stage cancer in women at high risk. 

“What it says is that if those symptoms are persistent and disturbing that they need to go to a doctor and make certain that ovarian cancer is not omitted in the investigation to why the symptoms exist. All too frequently, the patient goes to the doctor, is sent from a generalist to a gastroenterologist, a G-I work up is done, nothing is found and perhaps the patient is sent home. Then later on, when it’s perfectly obvious that she has ovarian cancer, she comes back on her own,” reported Dr. Carmel Cohen of the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women who experience pelvic/abdominal pain, increased bloating and/or difficulty eating due to fullness, at least 12 days per month with onset within the last year, should get a full physical and a gynecological exam, including a bimanual pelvic exam.  Transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 blood testing can also be helpful diagnostic tests.

CA-125 is actually a protein that can be made by abnormal ovary cells.  It can be a tumor marker.  If it’s present in high levels in the blood or in other body fluids or tissues, it may be a sign of ovarian cancer.  However, according to medical experts, the test is most effective for women who are high-risk.  Several women's reproductive disorders can cause a false positive result, including endometriosis, benign ovarian cysts, first trimester of pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease.  The CA-125 test should not be used alone to detect ovarian cancer, but rather with transvaginal sonography and rectovaginal pelvic examination for greater accuracy.