HOW TO DECREASE FALSE-POSITIVE CASES OF OVARIAN-CANCER SCREENING BY TRANSVAGINAL SONOGRAPHY

Screening for ovarian cancer is an important step in improving ovarian cancer mortality. This is a report of screening for ovarian cancer us ing transvaginal sonography (TVS) on 2,095 asymptomatic women during t he past four years. Ovarian tumors over 30mm in diameter were detected in 87 women (4.2%). Fourteen tumors were morphologically classified a s complex type and 73 as cystic type. Only 12 tumors were palpable on bimanual vaginal examination. Seven women with complex type tumors und erwent laparotomy and their pathological diagnoses revealed 3 dermoid cysts, 3 endometrioid cysts and 1 ovarian cancer. Two women with cysti c type tumors underwent laparotomy and their pathological diagnoses re vealed 1 paraovarian cyst and 1 endometrioid cyst. Many ovarian tumors were detected at prolonged cycle of menstruation and 69% of them disa ppeared in repeated TVS. Sixty percent of ovarian cystic tumors under 50mm in diameter also disappeared in repeated TVS. Close attention to menstrual cycle and morphologic findings is needed to decrease false-p ositive cases in TVS screening for ovarian cancer.