The Risk Factor for Ovarian Cancer

Knowing the risk factors for ovarian cancer can keep you one step ahead. Knowing what is and isn’t linked to ovarian cancer help put us at ease because the unknown is always the scary. Researchers have discovered certain factors that change a woman’s likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Read about some of the risk factors below.

Age

The risk of developing ovarian cancer gets higher with age. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than 40. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women 63 years of age or older.

Obesity

Various studies have looked at the relationship of obesity and ovarian cancer. Overall, it seems that obese women (those with a body mass index of at least 30) have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Reproductive history

Women who have been pregnant and carried it to term have a lower risk of ovarian cancer than women who have not. The risk goes down with each full-term pregnancy. Breastfeeding may lower the risk even further.

Birth control

Women who have used oral contraceptives (also known as birth control pills or the pill) have a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The lower risk is seen after only 3 to 6 months of using the pill, and the risk is lower the longer the pills are used. This lower risk continues for many years after the pill is stopped.

A recent study found that the women who used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA or Depo-Provera CI^®), an injectable hormonal contraceptive had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The risk was even lower if the women had used it for 3 or more years.

Gynecologic surgery

Tubal ligation (having your tubes tied) may reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer by up to two-thirds. A hysterectomy (removing the uterus without removing the ovaries) also seems to reduce the risk of getting ovarian cancer by about one-third.

Fertility drugs

In some studies, researchers have found that using the fertility drug clomiphene citrate (Clomid^®) for longer than one year may increase the risk for developing ovarian tumors. The risk seemed to be highest in women who did not get pregnant while on this drug. Fertility drugs seem to increase the risk of the type of ovarian tumors known as "low malignant potential" (described in the section, "What is ovarian cancer?"). If you are taking fertility drugs, you should discuss the potential risks with your doctor. However, women who are infertile may be at higher risk (compared to fertile women) even if they don’t use fertility drugs. This might be in part because they haven't given birth or used birth control pills (which are protective). More research to clarify these relationships is now underway.

Estrogen therapy and hormone therapy

Some recent studies suggest women using estrogens after menopause have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The risk seems to be higher in women taking estrogen alone (without progesterone) for many years (at least 5 or 10). The increased risk is less certain for women taking both estrogen and progesterone.

Unfortunately risk factors don’t tell us everything we need to know about diseases. And having one even several risk factors does not automatically mean you’ll get the disease. To learn about more risk factors follow the link to read the full article from American Cancer Society:  http://bit.ly/1r9S8d3

Dogs Can Be Woman’s Best Friend, Too!

Dogs are more than just man’s best friend- now, they can be woman’s best friend, too. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, dogs can be taught to sniff out ovarian cancer. An article at ChicagoNow explains:

“Dr. Cynthia Otto at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center says the exquisite ability of a dog's nose may help to refine current technology regarding detection of ovarian cancer. This is integrative medicine at its best, human physicians working with veterinarians. And it's plausible, not science fiction or ideas of "crazy dog people."

Ovarian cancer accounts for around three percent of all cancers in women, and mainly develops in older women aged over 63. According to the American Cancer Society, 22,240 women in the US will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year, and 14,230 women will die from the disease.”

Ovarian cancer is notable for being challenging to detect, and has been called “the silent killer.” Could dogs provide a new method of diagnosing ovarian cancer in women?

Click here to read the entire article at ChicagoNow.

Cancer Survivor Story: Jan Pederson and the Strength of Family

Ovarian cancer has affected so many lives, both those women who have been diagnosed with the disease as well as all of their families, friends, and even passing acquaintances. Though there are many thousands of stories to tell, today we’re focusing on just one: Jan Pederson, an ovarian cancer survivor of more than 10 years who shared her remarkable story of strength with cancercenter.com.

In her testimonial, Jan recounts that she first suspected ovarian cancer based on the advice of a gym friend, who listened to her symptoms and told her to schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible. Her friend’s instincts were spot on: Jan had stage III ovarian cancer. “After that phone call,” jan writes, “I felt devastated and wanted to see Bruce, who was at the gym. My emotions were all over the place and I was thinking, ‘No, it can't be cancer.’ I drove to the gym and told Bruce and our friends the news from the doctor. They were also shocked and devastated and we all prayed right there. Bruce and I went home, fell into each other's arms, and just cried. Our love for each other was stronger than ever before. He stood by me the whole way.”

She says her hope was lifted when she found the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), which “have a team of professionals who cover every aspect of the body, mind and spirit. They treat the whole person. That was what I was looking for—a team of doctors who would work together for me, and give me hope, encouragement and strength.”

She continues:

“When I walked into CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, I knew I was in the right place. My first meeting with Dr. Sybilann Williams, who is not only a skilled gynecologic oncologist but a wonderful person, gave me her undivided attention when she spoke to me. She gave me options. I was part of the decision making and I wasn’t being treated as a number or a statistic. Dr. Williams never talked about death. She talked about fighting and winning. Those words gave me the hope I was looking for in an oncologist.”

Read the rest of her story at cancercenter.com.

Not a Walk in the Park: Son Plans Ambitious Hike to Honor Mother, Raise Funds for Ovarian Cancer Research

Ovarian cancer is a brutal disease. Just this year, it is estimated that ovarian cancer has already claimed more than 14,000 lives. 64-year-old Karen Orofino of Mill Valley, California was one of those deaths. Her son, John “Woody” Orofino, however, is determined that she will not be forgotten. In an article from Healthline News, contributor Shawn Radcliffe writes that Orofino is planning to embark on a 22-day hike on the John Muir Trail in California both to honor his mother’s memory and to raise money for the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) medical center, where his mother received her cancer treatments. He will average more than 10 miles per day and anticipates large elevation changes and several nights spent at over 10,000 feet.

Though he comes from a very athletic family, Orofino knows that a hike of this magnitude is something different. But he has been preparing diligently, and backpacking is a recent passion of his. It was a love that he shared with his mother, who started hiking later in life.

He commented, “I personally came to really love backpacking, and really love being in the outdoors, just over the past four to five years. I’ve always loved nature, but prior to this, my longest time ... in the wilderness was about three days. This is definitely a very large undertaking, but it’s one that I’m confident I can accomplish, and I’m definitely very passionate about the cause.”

Orofino’s fundraising goal is $50,000, all of which will go to the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, specifically earmarked for ovarian cancer research.

Dr. Lee-may Chen, a gynecologic cancer surgeon at UCSF Medical Center, commented, “To be able to see him channel his energy into doing something that’s going to really help improve awareness for ovarian cancer was so impressive. We’re touched that he wants to help make a contribution to us because I think we have a lot of work to do, and we need support to be able to do that type of work.”

Read the full article at Healthline.com.