ORGANISERS of a nationwide trial to establish whether ovarian cancer screening saves lives have chosen a North-East hospital to be a regional centre.

Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of 12 centres taking part in a ten year-trial, which will involve 200,000 post-menopausal women. The trial is being funded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research Campaign, Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Department of Health.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK, and nearly 6,000 cases are diagnosed every year.

Results from the trial will determine whether screening definitely saves lives and, if so, is likely to prompt the introduction of an NHS national screening programme for ovarian cancer.

Some of the women agreeing to participate in the trial will be screened annually, while other will be followed up without screening.

Recruitment to the trial is by invitation only.

Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority will be writing to women randomly selected from the age and sex register to request their participation in the scheme.

John Monaghan, a world-renowned gynaecological oncologist who is heading up the team, said: "We are delighted to be participating in a project that could, in time, have a huge impact on the lives in women across the country.

"We are currently working very hard to get the trial up and running here in the North-East and are very keen to get the best response we can from the public.

"The value and importance of this trial cannot be overestimated.

"It is quite possible that the women involved will be helping to prolong the lives of future generations."