For Patients

About other gynecological cancer screening

Effectiveness of screening

Effectiveness of screening has not been proven for uterine body cancer. Therefore, we advice the women in whom symptoms such as abnormal bleeding were found during cervical cancer screening to receive thorough examination for early detection of uterine body cancer. Although the screening of ovary cancer has not been established, large tumors may be detected by pelvic examinations during cervical cancer screening.

Testing for uterine body cancer

Uterine body cancer screening has been performed using uterine body cytodiagnosis since it was incorporated into the Health and Medical Service Act for the Aged in 1988; however, its effectiveness has not been proven yet. Currently, we advice to receive pelvic examination, ultrasonic imaging test, endometrial cytodiagnosis or endometrial biopsy at a medical institution to the women who were found to belong to higher-risk group of uterine body cancer (i.e., those who have any symptoms of atypical genital bleeding, menstrual disorder, or brownish discharge within the last 6 months). (In some local communities, endometrial cytodiagnosis is performed during cervical cancer screening only for those who belong to the higher-risk group and wish this examination.)

Testing for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer screening by ultrasound imaging or tumor marker method (blood test) has not been proven for its effectiveness. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that people who have been diagnosed with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (i.e., hereditary tumors that develop into breast or ovarian cancer at high risk due to genetic factors) should consult with gynecologists to receive transvaginal ultrasound imaging and tumor marker testing once every six months from the age of 30-35 or from the age 5-10 years earlier than the age of its onset in their family member who was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer. However, no obvious effectiveness has been shown for these examinations.