open access - JNCI: Finding Ovarian Cancer (correspondence in response to Lim et al.)

"For decades, investigators have sought a strategy for finding ovarian cancer early enough to reduce the risk of dying of ovarian cancer. In this issue of the Journal, Lim et al. (1) report on their study in which women answered a dozen simple questions such as whether they felt pelvic or abdominal pain in the recent past and, if so, when, how frequently, and how severely. Symptom indices like this are being promoted as easier or better ways to find ovarian cancer early, under the assumption that early therapy can achieve a better outcome than if the women wait until more or worse symptoms prompt them to see a physician. The study revealed that symptom indices as ovarian cancer screeners can be sensitive to the presence of cancer in the period between 3 and 14 months before clinical diagnosis......