Women suspected of having ovarian cancer would be given blood tests to detect the disease in primary care under new guidelines set out by the health watchdog.

The test is already available on the NHS but it is currently only used by hospital specialists for women suspected of having ovarian cancer. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), however, says that giving GPs the opportunity to carry out the blood test at a much earlier stage will help to cut the number of people killed by the disease.

The survival rate of ovarian cancer is poor in the UK, with 65% of the 6,800 women diagnosed with the disease every year in the country dying within five years of their diagnosis. Giving the test, which costs about £20, to women sooner would give those found to have the disease a greater chance of survival by speeding up diagnosis and treatment.

Sean Duffy, a consultant gynaecologist at St James`s University Hospital, Leeds, and chairman of the Nice group that drew up the guidelines, urged a greater awareness of the key symptoms of ovarian cancer.

He said these included persistent abdominal bloating, feeling full in spite of only having a small amount to eat, pelvic or abdominal pain and needing to urinate urgently or more frequently.

Nice is recommending that GPs offer women, particularly those over 50 years old, the blood test designed to measure the level of a protein called CA125 in the blood if they experience these symptoms regularly.

"If the symptoms are persistent, don`t wait, act," he urged women.

"We are promoting the blood test to get women on the right cancer pathway as soon as possible.

"The symptoms as described can be vague, but if they are persistent they should not be ignored."

Copyright ⌐ Press Association 2011