Screening check
Should I be screened for ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is uncommon but often found late. The US Preventive Services Task Force looked at whether women without symptoms should be screened with ultrasound or the CA-125 blood test. Check what it says for you.
About you
Nothing you enter leaves this page.
What you will see
What the USPSTF says about ovarian cancer screening for you.
Educational only, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about symptoms or family history.
Source
US Preventive Services Task Force, February 2018 recommendation on screening for ovarian cancer.
Validated in
Women without symptoms who are not known to have a high-risk hereditary cancer syndrome.
Limits
It is not a test and cannot tell whether you have ovarian cancer. It does not cover women with symptoms or a known hereditary cancer syndrome such as a BRCA mutation.
What the USPSTF recommends
| Who | Recommendation | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Women without symptoms, not known to have a high-risk hereditary cancer syndrome | Do not screen for ovarian cancer | D |
The USPSTF does not recommend routine screening by any method, including transvaginal ultrasound, the CA-125 blood test or both (USPSTF 2018). It concluded with at least moderate certainty that the harms of screening outweigh the benefits. Women with a hereditary cancer syndrome that puts them at high risk, such as a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, are outside this recommendation (USPSTF 2018).
Why it matters
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death among US women and the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancer, despite its low incidence (USPSTF 2018). About 14,000 US women die of it each year, and more than 95% of deaths occur in women 45 and older. Five-year survival ranges from 92.5% when the cancer is found while still localized to 28.9% once it has spread (USPSTF 2018).
Why screening does not help
In large trials, screening with ultrasound, CA-125 or both did not lower deaths from ovarian cancer (USPSTF 2018). It did cause false alarms. Between 0.2% and 3.25% of screened women who did not have cancer had surgery to check a positive result, depending on the test, and up to 15% of those women had major surgical complications (USPSTF 2018).
Family history and genes
Women with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer may carry a hereditary cancer syndrome and should discuss their family history with a clinician (USPSTF 2018). For women whose personal or family history or ancestry suggests a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, the USPSTF recommends a brief risk tool and, if it is positive, genetic counseling and possibly testing (USPSTF 2019). The BRCA risk check walks through those questions.
Common questions
Can a CA-125 blood test or ultrasound catch ovarian cancer early?
Both are used to check women who have symptoms, and both were tested as screening tools. In women without symptoms, they did not reduce deaths, and most positive results were in women who did not have cancer (USPSTF 2018).
What symptoms should I watch for?
Belly pain or pressure, bloating, constipation, urinary symptoms, back pain and tiredness have been linked to ovarian cancer. They are common in healthy women too, so they are hard to use for early detection (USPSTF 2018). If they are new or do not go away, tell a clinician.
Also see the BRCA risk check, the breast cancer prevention medicine check, the cervical cancer screening check, the thyroid cancer screening check and all screening tests by age.
Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Ovarian Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2018;319(6):588-594. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/ovarian-cancer-screening
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling, and Genetic Testing for BRCA-Related Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2019;322(7):652. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/brca-related-cancer-risk-assessment-genetic-counseling-and-genetic-testing
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-30. Spotted an error? See About.