WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- A blood test could be the best way to predict survival in patients with recurring ovarian cancer, suggests a Danish study in the Sept. 13 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The study found the CA125 blood test -- which measures the level of protein produced by ovarian cancer cells -- may be superior to CT scans and other imaging techniques.
"Our study indicates that selected patients can be safely monitored by blood tests alone and thus avoid costly and time-consuming CT scans," said lead author Dr. Bo Gronlund, of the Department of Oncology at Rigshospitalet, the Copenhagen University Hospital.
Unlike other solid tumors, ovarian cancer spreads diffusely through the abdomen, making tumor tissue much more difficult to detect through CT scans, the researchers said.
Researchers found the CA125 test was 2.6 times more accurate than CT scans in predicting survival among 131 ovarian cancer patients.
More information
The National Cancer Institute has more about ovarian cancer.
