THE CAUSE AND RISK OF OVARIAN CANCER

    Unfortunately very little is known about what causes ovarian cancer.  The specific causes of ovarian cancer is unkown.  There are different factors that doctors and scientists have come up with based on the women who are diagnosed with the cancer.  Some risk factors of ovarian cancer are personal history, family history, high-fat diet, use of talc or baby powder, use of fertility drugs, and infertility.  While all these risk factors may increase the possibility that a woman will develop ovarian cancer, they do not mean it will definitely occur.
 

PERSONAL HISTORY

    A woman who has previously had cancer is at an increased risk for developing the cancer in a different area of the body.  For example, woman with breast cancer are twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer.  Woman with ovanrian cancer are three times more likely to develop breast cancer.
 

FAMILY HISTORY

    The most significant risk factor for developing ovarian cancer is perhaps family history.  Women with two or more relatives, in the immediate family, such as mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, or aunts, who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer have up to a 50% risk of developing the disease.  The risk can also increase if other family members develop ovarian cancer before menopause or ifhtere is a family history of breast, endometrial, colon, rectal, or pancreatic cancers.
 

HIGH-FAT DIET

    A diet high in meat and animal fat has been associated with the development of ovarian cancer.  The specific reasons for this are unknown.
 

TALC OR BABY POWDER

    There is some evidence that use of talc or or baby powder on or near the genital region of your body may increase the the risk of ovarian cancer.  This is because it is related to the cancer-causing agent asbestos.
 
 

FERTILITY DRUG

    Women taking fertiliydrugs such as clomiphene citrate (clomid) and menotrophins (pergonal) to induce ovulation appear to have a slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer.  If a woman becomes pregnant while taking fertility drugs she is not at an increased risk for developing ovarain cancer.
 

INFERTILITY

    There is some evidence that infertile and fertile women who have not had children are at an increase for developing ovarian cancer.