June 18, 2026

Pap Smears Don’t Screen for Ovarian Cancer—So What Does?

Pap Smears Don’t Screen for Ovarian Cancer—So What Does?
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Pap Smears Don’t Screen for Ovarian Cancer—So What Does?

This episode explains that Pap smears do not screen for ovarian cancer and that there is no particularly good routine screening test, which contributes to ovarian cancer often being diagnosed at an advanced stage. The ovaries are best evaluated with ultrasound, which the office performs annually to assess appearance. A blood test can sometimes detect very early ovarian cancer, but it has not been found to be tremendously effective. A newer test, Galleri, measures methylated DNA to suggest cancer presence and help identify its source, but it is expensive and usually done for people over 50. Manual pelvic examination can sometimes detect enlarged ovaries, advanced ovarian cancer, or ovarian cysts, and annual exams remain the main routine approach in the U.S.

00:00 Pap Smears and Ovarian Cancer

00:18 Why Screening Is Hard

00:31 Ultrasound Yearly Checks

00:49 Blood Tests and Limits

01:00 Galleri DNA Test

01:16 Pelvic Exam Detection

01:42 What We Do Routinely

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