Cancer and Healthy

There are several things associated with ovarian cancer that may increase your risk of developing the disease. These include but are not limited to:

- History of ovarian cancer in your immediate family.

- Age (over 50 years). Most cases occur after menopause, which usually takes place around the age of 51.

- Over 50% of all ovarian cancers occur in women older than age 65.

- No children (the greater the number of pregnancies, the lower the risk for developing ovarian cancer).

- Past history of breast or ovarian cancer.

- Race-ovarian cancer occurs 50% more frequently in white women than African American women.

- Hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women very slightly increases the risk for ovarian cancer.

- Infertility drug use- a nearly 3-fold increase in risk was found, with a substantially greater risk in those who fail to conceive. However, this is not a consistent finding and most of these "carcinomas" are borderline tumors.

- High fat diet is associated with higher rates of ovarian cancer in industrialized nations, but the link remains unproven.

- Talc-use of cosmetic talc in feminine hygiene sprays or in sanitary napkins has been suggested as a risk factor. However, this is not a consistent finding.

It is thought by experts in the field that the protective effects of pregnancy, birth control pills, and breast feeding are very much related to the suppression of ovulation, that is, the fewer ovulatory cycles that a woman completes, the lower are her chances of developing ovarian cancer. I agree with this statement all the way.