This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Risk factors

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Factors associated with an increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer include:

  • family history of ovarian cancer: see linked item

  • prolonged periods of uninterrupted ovulation:
    • nulliparity
    • first child after the age of 35 years
    • oral contraceptives are protective by suppressing ovulation
  • late age of menopause
  • white race

Less certain are factors such as the perineal use of asbestos contaminated talc and the use of ovulation-inducing treatments of infertility.

A prior history of infection with the mumps virus may have a protective effect.

Reference:

  • (1) GP magazine (22/6/01), 42.
  • (2) Cannistra (1993). Cancer of the ovary. NEJM, 329 (21), 1550-1557.
  • (3) Tewari K (1998). Lancet, 351, 957.

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.