Fred Hutch study provides breakthrough in ovarian cancer research

Fred Hutch study provides breakthrough in ovarian cancer research

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Story Published: Jun 23, 2008 at 4:38 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:06 PM PDT

By Elisa Jaffe

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SEATTLE -- A new study announced Monday at Fred Hutchinson was a breakthrough in the fight against ovarian cancer by being able to boost early detection of the cancer.

Marsha Rivkin's mom had it, but by the time she discovered she had it too, it was too late.

"She was only 49 (when she died); days away from her 50th birthday," said Marsha Rivkin's daughter Melissa.

Marsha Rivkin died of ovarian cancer, leaving behind five daughters who now get tested every year.

"When women get ovarian cancer, it's frequently a bad diagnosis," said Dr. Robin Andersen. "Often it's found too late and when it's found late, chances of a cure are poor."

Andersen says in half the cases, a simple blood test alone misses early detection or gives a false positive. But in a new study of high-risk women, Andersen says combining the blood test with a questionnaire of symptoms identified 80 percent of early stage tumors.

Women were asked if they recently started suffering frequent abdominal or pelvic pain, abdominal bloating or increased abdomen size. And asked if they are they unable to eat normally or feel full quickly.

"Women in general report these symptoms, but they generally report them a couple of days a month, when women with ovarian cancer generally report them 20 days a month," Dr. Andersen said.

More than 15,000 women die from the disease each year. Screening symptoms along with blood could change survival rates; finding the cancer when it's curable.

"The week my mom died, she said 'Don't let this happen to you,' " Melissa Rivkin said.

If you have a family history of breast and ovarian cancer and you're frequently suffering symptoms, researchers say you need to get tested. It could be a cyst or fibroids, but early detection of ovarian cancer could save your life.

The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has a breast and ovarian cancer prevention program for women at high risk. For information go to www.seattlecca.org

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