Two cases of ovarian cancer at an early stage incidentally detected using transvaginal ultrasonography in screening: importance of interval for ovarian cancer screening and selection of population with a high risk of ovarian cancer.

Interval of ovarian cancer screening using transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) and selection of populations with a high risk of this disease are an important issue in detecting early stage-disease. We report two cases of ovarian cancer patients incidentally detected at FIGO Stage I using TVS in the obligatory staff health check. They had undergone other ovarian cancer screening by TVS six months before and received a carefree result at that time. One patient had risk factors (RFs) for ovarian cancer such as obesity and a familal history of ovarian cancer in a first degree relative, and the other had RFs such as obesity and endometrial malignancy. Although cost-effective screening may be important, we recommend that while normal and asymptomatic populations are screened annually, women with any high RFs for ovarian cancer should be screened every six months.