What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for
ovarian cancer
include:
- A family history. Between 10% and 20% of women with ovarian
cancer have a close female relative who had ovarian or breast cancer.
1
Women with a family history may develop ovarian cancer at an
earlier age, such as in their 40s, rather than at the more typical age of
postmenopausal women in their 50s. Women who have BRCA1 or BRCA2
gene
mutations have between a 16% and 60% chance of
developing ovarian cancer during their lifetimes.
6
- Increasing age. Ovarian cancer most often affects
postmenopausal
women.
- Never having a baby.
- Starting menstrual cycles before age 12 and going through
menopause
at an older age. The more menstrual cycles
you have, the more risk you have for ovarian cancer.
- Being unable
to become pregnant (
infertility
). Women who do not use
birth control and are sexually active but who are unable to become pregnant may
have a higher chance for ovarian cancer.
- Use of
estrogen
or
hormone replacement therapy
. Some studies have shown
that some women who use these hormones have a slightly increased risk of
developing ovarian cancer, and other studies have shown no increased
risk.
7,
8,
9
In general, experts advise women considering hormone
replacement therapy for symptoms of menopause to take the smallest dose
possible to control symptoms, and to take the medicine for the shortest time
that they can.
- Women who are of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry (Jews
whose ancestors came from Eastern Europe) may have an increased risk because of
changes to the
BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Women with this ancestry have
higher rates of these gene changes.
-
Should I have a gene test for breast and ovarian cancer?
-
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
.
Elevated levels of male hormones (androgens) commonly found in PCOS may
increase your risk for ovarian cancer.
10
- A
history of
breast cancer
. Women with a personal history of breast
cancer or a family history of breast cancer have a higher risk for ovarian
cancer.
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http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/breast-and-ovarian/healthprofessional.
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