The WI's annual general meeting will vote on a motion calling on the government to set up clinics to offer a screening test to any woman who wants it.

At present, no test exists, and many ovarian cancers are diagnosed too late for chemotherapy to save the woman's life.

The motion, which will also encourage WI members to take part in any research programmes needed to develop the test, is expected to be passed.

'We could do it again'

A spokesman for the WI said: "It was a campaign from the Womens' Institute, 20 years ago, which helped bring about the National Breast Screening Programme, and we could do it again with ovarian cancer screening."

Research against ovarian cancer is ongoing

Research is currently underway to look at a screening test given to women deemed at "high risk" of developing the disease because of their family history.

It is still uncertain whether this approach would end up saving lives.

Dr James Mackay of the Cancer Research Campaign Human Genetics Research Group in Cambridge said: " At the moment there is no evidence to show screening for ovarian cancer reduces the death rate.

"But no-one has ever tried widespread screening on this high risk population before and we are hopeful that it will save lives."

Fifth most common cancer

Ovarian cancer is the fifth commonest female cancer in the UK, accounting for nearly 6,000 new cases each year. Having a heriditary gene is thought to increase the risk of disease 40-fold.

Women are most likely to develop the disease between the ages of 45 and 80.

The Cancer Research Campaign is also backing trials of a new group of drugs called taxanes, which are derived from the yew tree, which have led to an increase in survival rates in several trials.