Setback in fight against ovarian cancer as major screening trial fails to save lives

A major trial to detect ovarian cancer, one of the most deadly and elusive of the disease, has failed to save lives.

The researchers at University College London said the results were a disappointment and thanked the 200,000 participants of the trial.

The trial had looked promising, with twelve-monthly blood tests revealing earlier detection of the cancer, but the final results showed the screening had failed to save lives.

Professor Usha Menon, lead investigator of the trial, said “Some women are diagnosed so late they are too sick to start treatment.”

Speaking of the results, Professor Menon said “I was hoping there’d be something in this – it is disappointing news. It is about not giving up at this point – we have suffered a setback and need to get up and march forward again.”

There is some evidence the cases which were detected earlier than usual through the blood tests were still highly aggressive and difficult to treat. Researchers have said they may need to detect cancers even earlier and in even more women to affect survival rates.

Scientists hoping to detect the disease earlier are now looking at other chemicals in the blood, but these would have to go through the same large-scale and long-term trials.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said people needed to be more aware of the symptoms, adding “Symptoms of ovarian cancer can be quite vague (so) whether it’s needing to go to the toilet more often, pain, bloating or something else, raise it with your GP.

“In most cases it won’t be cancer, but it’s best to get it checked out.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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