Results from a new study to be published in the August issue of the journal CANCER show that combining a four-question questionnaire with a simple blood test can increase detection rates of both early and late stage ovarian cancers. The blood test measures CA125, a molecular marker for certain types of cancer. The study looked at women with a family history of ovarian cancer and those with pelvic masses which were later diagnosed as ovarian cancer. A new pilot study is already underway to investigate whether this simple questionnaire should be included as part of routine medical exams for all women. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 21,000 women in the US are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, and more than 15,000 die from the disease.Full story.
June 25, 2008
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.