Ovarian Cancer - What is Ovarian Cancer?

Like most type of cancer, there are no guaranteed methods of prevention. Several factors reduce our risk:

• Oral Contraceptive Use: Several studies show that several years of using birth control pills may decrease a woman's risk of ovarian cancer.
  
• Childbirth: Giving birth to at least one child may cut the risk of ovarian cancer by 80%. It is not recommended to have children just for the sake of risk reduction though.
  
• Tubal Ligation or Hysterectomy: Tubal ligation or a hysterectomy may reduce your risk of ovarian cancer, but these surgeries are never done solely for the purpose of ovarian cancer prevention. They are simply an added benefit of treating another condition.

Some women who are considered to be at higher risk of ovarian cancer choose more drastic methods of prevention. A prophylactic oophorectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries) to prevent ovarian cancer is one method of prevention that may be available to women who are high risk. This option is normally an option for women who have a mutated BRCA 1 or 2 gene, confirmed through genetic testing.

While surgical prevention may drastically cut a woman's risk, a similar type of cancer called primary peritoneal cancer (cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity), may develop. This type of cancer is rare, but in women with a known mutated BRCA gene, the risk is heightened.

_Sources:

American Cancer Society. Detailed Guide: Ovarian Cancer. 06 Feb 2008. Accessed 22 July 2008.

National Cancer Institute. Ovarian Cancer. 23 April 2007. Accessed 22 July 2008.