Ovarian Cancer Screening Program
The Ovarian Cancer Screening Program is a clinical research study.
The UK Markey Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Screening Program provides free annual sonographic screenings to women across Kentucky with the goal of detecting cancer early. When it’s caught early, ovarian cancer is a treatable and curable disease.
Since the program started in 1987, more than 51,000 participants have received more than 367,000 free screenings – more than 1,200 per month – using transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS). TVS detects virtually all small ovarian cancers, and the program results indicate that the screening reduces ovarian cancer deaths in the group screened.
Learn more about our team, treatments and more on the ovarian cancer homepage.
Screening eligibility
- Women over the age of 50 (including those who have no symptoms and no personal history of ovarian cancer) are eligible for a free ovarian cancer screening.
- Women over the age of 25 who have a family history of ovarian cancer or other genetic risk factors are also eligible for a free screening.
Any woman in one of these two groups should contact us at 800-766-8279 to schedule an appointment.
About TVS screening
TVS uses ultrasound to produce a better view of the ovaries than abdominal ultrasound. The aim of ovarian screening is to detect ovarian cancers at the earliest possible stage when they are most likely to be cured.
About ovarian cancer
The chances of having breast cancer are about one in nine over a woman’s lifetime. The chances of having ovarian cancer are about seven to eight times lower than that. But despite the lower risk, ovarian cancer kills more women than all other gynecologic malignancies combined.
Typically ovarian cancer is not accompanied by symptoms until the disease is advanced. Early-stage ovarian cancer is often curable, while advanced-stage ovarian cancer carries a poor prognosis for survival.
Most ovarian cancers occur in women who are over the age of 50 and do not have any symptoms or risk factors.
Our research protocol experience involving more than 51,000 women who have received over 367,000 free ultrasound screens indicates that transvaginal ultrasound is the most effective way to detect early stage ovarian cancers and save lives. This research protocol remains open to Kentucky women to continue establishing the soundness of this approach.
Donate
Early detection is vital to surviving ovarian cancer, and your help is needed to continue providing free screenings for Kentucky women like yourself, your mother, sister, daughter or friend. These screenings can save lives.
Donate an amount of your choosing by visiting the Ovarian Cancer Screening Project Fund here.
Hours and Contact information
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
To schedule an appointment, please consider one of the following points of contact:
Call:
1-800-76-OVARY
1-800-766-8279
859-323-4687
Please plan on scheduling your screening appointments two or more months in advance.
Locations
In addition to our Lexington location within the Markey Cancer Center, Ovarian Cancer Screening is also available at these locations:
- Ephraim McDowell James B. Haggin
- Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan
- Hardin County Health Department
- Hazard ARH
- Maysville Primary Plus
- McCracken County Health Department
- Pulaski County Health Department
