AQW 42865/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 20/03/2026
Answered On Date: 05/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department has issued any guidance in relation to the combined use of a blood test and ultrasound to detect early-stage ovarian cancer, in Health and Social Care Trusts.

Answer:

The Northern Ireland Referral Guidance for Suspected Cancer (Red Flag Criteria) draws on national evidence, including National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, alongside local clinical expertise to provide GPs with standardised, evidence‑based criteria that support consistent decision‑making for red flag referrals.

In respect of ovarian cancer, the Northern Ireland Referral Guidance recommends measuring CA125 (a blood test) in primary care in women with symptoms that suggest ovarian cancer and, if levels are raised, arranging an ultrasound scan of the abdomen and pelvis and/or referring to gynaecology as a red flag. This is consistent with NICE Clinical Guideline (CG122) Ovarian Cancer: Recognition and Initial Management.

To support early detection, the Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN) also provides ongoing primary care education on red flag symptoms, including a dedicated ovarian cancer session delivered in 2022, with materials available online.