(Linda Geddes/ The Guardian) — Annual screening for ovarian cancer can detect tumours earlier but does not save lives, one of the largest studies ever conducted on the general population suggests.
Although the finding is a blow to those affected by ovarian cancer, the hope is that earlier diagnosis could reduce the amount and intensity of treatment that women go through.
About 7,500 British women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and 4,000 die from it, making it the deadliest gynaecological cancer. The lack of any single telltale symptom means the disease is often not diagnosed until it is at a late stage. (…)