Ovarian Cancer

Causes & Prevention

Hormone Replacement Therapy Linked to Ovarian Cancer

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Also called: Estrogen replacement therapy, HRT, Menopausal hormone therapy.

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. It is a normal part of aging. In the years before and during menopause, the levels of female hormones can go up and down. This can cause symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Some women take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to relieve these symptoms. HRT may also protect against osteoporosis.

Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer

Doctors cannot always explain why one woman develops ovarian cancer and another does not. However, we do know that women with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop ovarian cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease.

Studies have found the following risk factors for ovarian cancer:

• Family history of cancer: Women who have a mother, daughter, or sister with ovarian cancer have an increased risk of the disease. Also, women with a family history of cancer of the breast, uterus, colon, or rectum may also have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Cancer: Prognosis Is Poor

Expectations (prognosis)

Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in its early stages. It is usually quite advanced by the time diagnosis is made. The outcome is often poor.

  • About 76% of women with ovarian cancer survive 1 year after diagnosis.
  • About 45% live longer than 5 years after diagnosis.
  • If diagnosis is made early in the disease and treatment is received before the cancer spreads outside the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is about 94%.

HRT and Ovarian Cancer

A woman has a 1 in 67 chance of developing ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women, and it causes more deaths than any other type of female reproductive cancer.

The cause is unknown.

The risk for developing ovarian cancer appears to be affected by several factors. The more children a woman has and the earlier in life she gives birth, the lower her risk of ovarian cancer. Certain genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are responsible for a small number of ovarian cancer cases. Women with a personal history of breast cancer or a family history of breast or ovarian cancer have an increased risk for ovarian cancer.

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.

Prevention Strategies for Ovarian Cancer

According to the Mayo Clinic, several factors appear to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. They include:

  • Oral contraception (birth control pills)
  • Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors Are Important Since The Causes Are Unknown

According to the Mayo Clinic, having one or more of the following risk factors for ovarian cancer heightens your risk of developing it above that of the average woman:

  • Genetic mutations

The Causes of Ovarian Cancer Are Unknown

The causes of ovarian cancer remain unknown.

Some researchers believe it has to do with the tissue-repair process that follows the monthly release of an egg through a tiny tear in an ovarian follicle (ovulation) during a woman's reproductive years. The formation and division of new cells at the rupture site may set up a situation in which genetic errors can occur.

European Study Shows Aspartame Causes Cancer In Rats - US FDA Taking A Look

The US FDA is issued the following statement on May 8, 2006, in response to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) press release on its review of the long-term carcinogenicity study of aspartame conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation (ERF).