Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms significantly associated with ovarian cancer when occurring more than 12 days a month:

• Pelvic / abdominal pain

• Frequent or urgent urination

• Increased abdominal size/ bloating

• Difficulty eating / feeling full 

Goff et. al. Cancer 2007; 109:221-227.

Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors

Ovarian cancer risk increases due to the following reasons:

• History of ovarian cancer in the immediate family (More details).

• Age (over 50 years).

• No children (pregnancies protect against ovarian cancer so that two or more pregnancies lower the risk for developing ovarian cancer).

• Self history of breast cancer.

• Race --- ovarian cancer appears to occur more frequently in Caucasian women than African American women, but African-American women that are socioeconomically similar to Caucasian women may take on the Caucasian risk due to smaller families and having children later.

• Jewish descent 

• Hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women may account for a very slight increase in ovarian cancer risk.

• Infertility drug use --- a nearly 3-fold increase in risk characterizes women who fail to conceive. However, this risk may be due to an underlying ovarian dysfunction in combination with a failure to gain a protective advantage from pregnancy.

• High fat diets have been reported to be associated with higher rates of ovarian cancer in industrialized nations.

• Talc-use in feminine hygiene sprays or in sanitary napkins has been suggested as a factor associated with some risk.