Ovarian Cancer Workup: Approach Considerations, Screening, Tumor Markers

Ovarian Cancer Workup: Approach Considerations, Screening, Tumor Markers
  Updated: Aug 24, 2016

Approach Considerations

The presence of advanced ovarian cancer is often suspected on clinical grounds but can be confirmed only pathologically by removal of the ovaries or, when disease is advanced, by sampling tissue or ascitic fluid.
Current guidelines from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology recommend that the primary clinical evaluation for ovarian cancer include a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis with oral and intravenous contrast, and chest imaging (CT preferred) to evaluate the extent of disease and the feasibility of surgical resection. ^[34] National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend chest x-ray or CT, as clinically indicated, and ultrasound and/or abdominal/pelvic CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as clinically indicated. Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scan or MRI may be indicated for indeterminate lesions, if the results will alter management. ^[35]
MRI can increase the specificity of imaging evaluation in cases where the ultrasound appearance of the lesion is indeterminate. ^[6] MRI is not definitive, however. On MRI, endometriotic cysts with enhanced mural nodules are a hallmark of ovarian cancer, but they may also be a feature of benign neoplasms and even inflammatory diseases. Large contrast-enhanced nodules on large endometriotic cysts in an elderly patient are more likely to indicate malignancy. ^[36]
When imaging studies demonstrate an adnexal mass, the decision whether to observe the patient with repeat imaging or to proceed to surgical evaluation must take into account not only the imaging characteristics but also the patient's medical history, physical examination results, and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level. ^[37] Tumor markers such as CA125 are not good discriminators of benign lesions from malignant lesions in premenopausal women but have better accuracy in postmenopausal women.