Jump to comment:
- Page navigation anchor for Interpreting negative tests when assessing cancer riskInterpreting negative tests when assessing cancer risk
I would like to thank the authors for a concise article, highlighting the importance of safety netting and symptom assessment along a cancer diagnostic journey.1
There is a complementary aspect to this learning - interpreting a positive test result when assessing cancer risk. One of the authors has highlighted elsewhere2 that "Of women with CA125 levels above the current abnormal cut-off, 10.1% were diagnosed with ovarian cancer and a further 12.3% with another form of cancer"
Thus, pre-test probability probably needs to be considered in a wider context, at different points of establishing a diagnosis. The paper by Funston et al is a very helpful addition to this editorial, especially in a teaching context for trainers and trainees.
References
1. Bradley SH, Nicholson BD, Funston G. Interpreting negative test results when assessing cancer risk in general practice. Br J Gen Pract 2021; 24;71(708):298-299.
2. Funston G, Hamilton W, Abel G, Crosbie EJ, Rous B, Walter FM. The diagnostic performance of CA125 for the detection of ovarian and non-ovarian cancer in primary: A population-based cohort study. PLoS Med 2020; 17(10): e1003295.Competing Interests: None declared.