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Collection and Assessment of Transvaginal Ultrasound Images in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial

Principal Investigator
Name
Aimee Kreimer
Institution
NCI, DCP, EDRG
Email
About this CDAS Project
Study
PLCO (Learn more about this study)
Project ID
2006-0308
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Sep 22, 2006
Title
Collection and Assessment of Transvaginal Ultrasound Images in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial
Summary
This pilot project aims to determine whether a full-scale study of transvaginal ultrasounds (TVUs) collected in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) is feasible and promising for answering specific research questions. From the pilot study, we will be able to provisionally examine etiologic questions regarding the ovary as a hormone source after menopause and the endometrium as a hormone sensor. We will be able to provide clues regarding benign sources of CA 125 elevations assess endometrial thickness in relation to future endometrial cancer diagnoses; and plan a future study to re-evaluate an analysis showing that large ovarian volume is related to increased risk of these cancers (Sherman et al, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, in press). The TVUs in PLCO serve as an invaluable resource; we intend to expand the data available from these images.
Aims

In PLCO, TVUs were conducted in conjunction with Cancer Antigen 125 (CA 125) testing as part of the screening protocol for ovarian cancer. The purpose of this pilot study is to collect data on the availability and quality of the TVUs and assemble a radiology panel to conduct additional study of the images. Specifically, this study aims to: 1. Assess the availability of TVUs collected in the screening arm of PLCO and determine whether the quality and structures included within the images provide opportunities for additional research; 2. To assemble a two-person radiology review panel to re-assess the images for selected features recorded by center radiologists to analyze interobserver reproducibility and to evaluate features that were not previously recorded; 3. To evaluate additional TVU features, including: endometrial thickness, uterine volume, the presence of benign conditions including leiomyomata and adenomyosis; 4. To assess the feasibility of a future study to collected TVUs from a subset of women in PLCO to address specific aims including: refining criteria for designating ovaries as suspicious that would improve the positive predictive values of radiological assessment for ovarian cancer (reduce false positives); evaluating determinants of endometrial thickness and its value in predicting endometrial cancer risk; and correlating ovarian, endometrial and myometrial appearances with hormonally-mediated risk factors and serum hormone levels (when available).

Collaborators

Christine Berg (Division of Cancer Prevention)
James Lacey (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics)
Mark Sherman (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics)
Patricia Hartge (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics)