PLCO cancer screening trial Flashcards
What was the objective?
To evaluate the effect of screening for ovarian cancer on mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial
What was the study design?
Randomised control trial
78,216 women
What was the population?
Women aged 55-74 years, based in the US
What was the intervention?
Randomised to annual screening for ovarian ca with USS for 4 years and CA125 for 6 year; OR routine care
What were the results?
No diference in mortality between intervention and control groups
intervention group had 3283 false positive, of these 15% had serious complications relating to diagnostic operative procedures
What is the take home message?
Screening had no impact on incidence, lowering stage of disease or mortality of ovarian cancer but there were a significant number of false positives and these were associated with complications.
Suggests that detecting earlier ovarian cancers with CA125 and USS is chalenging and making the thresholds more sensitive (ie lowering no for CA125) would also raise the false positive rate which is also associated with morbidity.
How long were they followed up?
13 years
What were the primary outcomes?
Mortality from ovarian cancer, including primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancers.
What were the secondary outcomes?
Secondary outcomes included ovarian cancer incidence and complications associated with screening examinations and diagnostic procedures
When was it published?
2012
