You Can Reduce Your Risk

Yesterday’s post listed what increased a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer. Now let’s look at the flip side and list what things can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer

• Use of oral contraceptive
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Bilateral tubal ligation (close the fallopian tubes) and hysterectomy( removal of the uterus)
• Prophylactic Oopherectomy (removal of both ovaries even if there is no sign of cancer) decreased a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer by 2/3rds.
• Diet : dietary recommendations are still uncertain with studies unable to confirm results. A healthy diet with vegetables is recommended. By eating a healthy diet you are also reducing your risk for other cancers and heart disease.

 Source:

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-risk-factors

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing! 

Research News : Aspirin and Oophorectomies

ASPIRIN

Feb 6,2014 Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Chronic inflammation has been shown to increase the risk for cancer.Aspirin is known to possess  anti-inflammatory properties. Using data from 12 large epidemiological studies (8000 women with ovarian cancer and 12,000 without the disease) researchers at the NIH studied whether aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or acetaminophen had a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

Conclusion:  Daily use of low-dose aspirin was found to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20-34% depending on the dose and frequency. The same low dose aspirin regime has show Cardiovascular  benefits.

My Take: Further prospective randomized studies are needed to verify this research.
There are risks to taking aspirin such as gastrointestinal bleeding but this may be a readily available low cost was to reduce a women's risk for ovarian cancer. .


OOPHORECTOMY 
Feb 24 Journal of Clinical Oncology

This study included over 5000 women with BRCA1 & 2  mutations who had their ovaries removed. The goal of the research was to estimate the reduction in the risk of developing ovarian, fallopian and peritoneal cancers by the age the women had their ovaries removed.The study also looked at the impact the surgery had on the women's mortality. 

Conclusion: Preventative oophorectomy in women with BRCA1 mutations reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by 80%. The study also found a 77% reduction in deaths by any cause by the age of 70 when women had the surgery. 

Recommendation: Women with BRCA1 mutation should  have their ovaries removed by age 35.  Waiting to a later age for the surgery increases the risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. 

My Take: This study verified the importance of ovary removal at age 35 for women who carry the  BRCA1. Having to deal with menopause at an early age is not easy but women who are BRCA1 should discuss this surgery with their doctors . 


Notes:  Risk is the chance a person has of developing cancer over their lifetime. The risk of a woman developing ovarian cancer is 1.37 or 1 in 73 women. Data from ACS.


Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

OC Awareness Month # 3- Decrease your risk by...

Just as we have things that increase our risk of ovarian cancer ,we also have things that  may be protective factors and allow us to reduce our risk of ovarian cancer.

• Use of oral contraceptive
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Bilateral tubal ligation ( close the fallopian tubes) and hysterectomy( removal of the uterus)
• Prophylactic Oopherectomy (removal of both ovaries even if there is no sign of cancer) 
• Enroll in a cancer prevention clinical trial ( these studies look at things that people do and if they prevent cancer )

Source
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/ovarian/Patient/page3

Happy Labor day everyone !
Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!