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Avoiding known risk factors when possible and recognizing protective factors may help you prevent ovarian cancer.

Knowing your risk for ovarian cancer is the first step towards better prevention.

Knowing your genetic risk for ovarian cancer is knowing more about your overall risk

Although many environmental and lifestyle factors affect the risk of ovarian cancer, the single greatest known risk factor is a family history of the disease. This indicates that genetics is a major risk factor for ovarian cancer. Scientists already know that variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes significantly increase a woman’s chances of developing ovarian cancer. However, these variants are rare and account for less than 5% of all ovarian cancers.

A common genetic variant increases risk of ovarian cancer

Recently, scientists have discovered a common variant on chromosome 9 that can increase a woman’s risk of developing the most common type of ovarian cancer (epithelial cancer). This variant is found in approximately 70% of women of European descent (see Song et al, 2009).

The deCODEme Complete Scan identifies this genetic variant in the 9p22.2 region and uses it to provide female customers of European descent with a personalized interpretation of their genetic risk for developing ovarian cancer (see a free example of what your test results could look like).

At present, the necessary scientific information to interpret the genetic risk for women of other ethnicities is not available. This information will be added as soon as it becomes available and we are assured of its quality.

Other factors that alter risk for ovarian cancer

A number of other factors are known to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer or are associated with decreased risk. Avoiding known risk factors when possible and recognizing protective factors may help prevent ovarian cancer.

Some of the risk and protective factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (the most common type) are listed below. Please note, that they may not apply to the other types of ovarian cancer (germ cell and stromal tumors).

Risk factors for ovarian cancer

• Family history of ovarian cancer: A woman who has a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with ovarian cancer has an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The younger your family member when diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the higher your risk.
• Age: The risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age. The disease is rare in women younger than 40 years, after which incidence increases. Most ovarian cancers are diagnosed in women who have reached menopause. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women over the age of 63.
• Breast cancer: Women who have previously been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• Obesity: Excess body fat increases a woman´s risk of ovarian cancer.
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women. The risk increases with duration of treatmen and may be different for estrogen-only therapy (ERT) and estrogen-progestin replacement therapy (EPRT). (For more about HRT, see here).
• Other factors: Several studies conducted in the early 1990s suggested an association between certain fertility drugs and an increased risk of ovarian cancer, especially in women who did not become pregnant. Later studies have shown that ovarian cancer risk may not be increased by the use of fertility drugs but rather by infertility itself. Recently, one of the largest studies of the possible role of fertility drugs in ovarian cancer found “no convincing association” with the cancer (see Jensen et al, 2009).

Protective factors for ovarian cancer

• Having children and breast-feeding: Women who have had at least one child are less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who have never had children. The risk is reduced with each additional pregnancy. Studies have also shown that women who breast-feed are less likely to develop ovarian cancer.
• Birth control pills: (oral contraceptives) reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, especially among women who use them for 5 years or more. Studies have found that women who used birth control pills for 5 or more years had about half the risk of getting ovarian cancer compared with women who never used the pill. Note however, that oral contraceptives may increase the risk of blood clots (especially in smokers) and the short-term risk of breast cancer.
• Tubal ligation and hysterectomy: Studies have shown that women who have undergone tubal ligation (sterilization) or hysterectomy are at decreased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Doctors only perform these operations for valid medical reasons, not for their effect on ovarian cancer risk.

If you have one or more of the listed risk factors, it does not mean you will get ovarian cancer. But you should speak with your doctor or healthcare provider about your risk.

More information about risk and protective factors for ovarian cancer

For more information on risk factors for ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor or visit these websites:

• Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
• Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This content was last reviewed on February 09, 2010.

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