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Womb cancer breakthrough

Doctors have developed a test that can detect womb cancer months before any symptoms appear.

The news is based on research in 37,000 postmenopausal women that found that an ultrasound technique called transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) can detect about 80% of cases of endometrial cancer (cancer of the womb lining) before symptoms appear.

The research was the first large study to look at the accuracy of TVS for endometrial cancer. It found that TVS, which measures the thickness of the womb lining, had a relatively high accuracy in both predicting cases of endometrial cancer and in ruling out the presence of cancer. However, the accuracy of the test varied depending on the endometrial thickness considered to be abnormal and risk factors such as bleeding and family history.

The study did not look at whether screening actually led to improved survival rates from the disease. A spokesperson for the NHS added that screening is also a matter of balance, with the potential benefits needing to outweigh problems such as the potential for false diagnoses and unnecessary treatment. He added that further research is now needed to identify specific groups for whom TVS womb screening would be of clear benefit.