Ovarian cancer screening and prevention

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Cherry ◽  
Stacey A. Vacchiano
Author(s):  
Marian J. Mourits ◽  
G. H. de Bock

The history of screening and prevention of ovarian cancer among high-risk women in the United States and Europe is one of mutual inspiration, with researchers learning from each others’ findings and insights and collaborating with investigators from both sides of the Atlantic ocean. Examples of simultaneous and joint development of knowledge and scientific points of view include the paradigm shift from ovarian to fallopian tube high-grade serous cancer and the cessation of simultaneous adoption of ovarian cancer screening by clinicians in both the United States and Europe. Examples of joint efforts with fruitful results include international collaboration in large population-based, genome-wide association studies and in epidemiologic database studies. Research in the field of hereditary ovarian cancer is a great example of mutual inspiration and joint efforts for the purpose of improving knowledge and health care for women with hereditary ovarian cancer.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Macdonald ◽  
Danielle Mazza ◽  
Martha Hickey ◽  
Morgan Hunter ◽  
Louise A Keogh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study examined why women and doctors screen for ovarian cancer (OC) contrary to guidelines. Methods Surveys, based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), were sent to women in the Kathleen Cuningham Foundation Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer (kConFab), and family physicians (FPs) and gynecologists who organised their screening. Results 832 of 1,264 (65.8%) kConFab women responded. 126 (15.1%) had screened in the last two years. Most of these (101, 80.2%) would continue even if their doctor told them it is ineffective. For women, key OC screening motivators operated in the domains of social role and goals (staying healthy for family, 93.9%), emotion and reinforcement (peace of mind, 93.1%) and beliefs about capabilities (tests are easy to have, 91.9%). 252 of 531 (47.5%) clinicians responded; a minority (FPs 45.8%, gynecologists 16.7%) thought OC screening was useful. For gynecologists, the main motivators of OC screening operated in the domains of environmental context (lack of other screening options, 27.6%), and emotion (patient peace of mind, 17.2%, difficulty discontinuing screening, 13.8%). For FPs, the strongest motivators were in the domains of social influence (women ask for these tests, 20.7%), goals (a chance these tests will detect cancer early, 16.4%), emotion (patient peace of mind, 13.8%) and environmental context (no other OC screening options, 11.2%). Conclusion Reasons for OC screening are mostly patient driven. Clinician knowledge and practice are discordant. Motivators of OC screening encompass several domains, which could be targeted in interventions to reduce inappropriate ovarian cancer screening.


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