US scientists have developed a new and better way of screening for ovarian cancer.

The new screening method, it is believed, could identify those with the disease at an earlier stage. Currently, ovarian cancer is difficult to treat as by the time it is detected it is often too late to offer effective treatment.

Each year, just over 300 women are diagnosed in Ireland with ovarian cancer. 

US scientists, following a study of just over 4,000 women have created a 'two-stage' testing programme that tracks changes in a blood protein called CA125, which can indicate cancer risk.

The study, involved performing a yearly CA125 blood test, then used a calculation called the 'Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm' to divide the women into three groups. These were those at low, intermediate and high risk.

Just under 6% of the women were deemed to be at intermediate risk and in need of a further blood test in three months, while the low risk women required a check-up blood test a year later. 

The high risk women were recommended for a a transvaginal ultrasound and specialist referral.

Around 1% of the women were deemed to be high-risk and referred to a specialist. From this group, ten of the women had surgery.

Four had invasive ovarian cancers, two women had ovarian tumours of low cancer potential, one had endometrial cancer, and three had benign tumours.

The study found that the new testing method showed a 'positive predictive value of 40% for predicting invasive ovarian cancer.'

If ovarian cancer is detected at an early stage, the survival rate can be up to 90%, compared with less than 30% if it is discovered later and is therefore more difficult to teat successfully.

The research, carried out at the University of Texas in Houston, is published in the journal Cancer.

Find out more about ovarian cancer here