By Maureen Salamon WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- With no
routine screening test currently available for uterine or
ovarian cancer -- the latter of which is extremely lethal --
scientists have found promise in a new method that can detect
both types using cervical fluid obtained during routine Pap
tests. A pilot study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins
University's Kimmel Cancer Center, in Baltimore, reports that
DNA analysis of cervical fluid detected 100 percent of uterine
cancers and 41 percent of ovarian cancers in a small group of
women, with no false-positive results. "This initial proof-of-
concept pilot study really laid the groundwork to move forward,"
said study author Dr. Luis Diaz, an associate professor of
oncology. "So many [disease indicator] tests out there lead to
ambiguous results, which lead to a lot of anxiety in patients
and unnecessary diagnostic tests and costs. I think this test
offers the possibility of not only being an effective cancer
screening test, but also one we can do w