Ovarian Cancer - Can You Prevent It?

Ovarian cancer, unfortunately, has no telltale signs in the early stages. It can continue to grow and then manifest with generic symptoms including persistent fullness and pain in the pelvis and abdomen. This can be accompanied by altered bowel habits, a constant need to urinate, and general cancer symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss without any effort to do so. If a woman is at risk for ovarian cancer, persistent pelvic/abdominal symptoms should be screened to rule out ovarian cancer.

Complete prevention of ovarian cancer is not possible. However, there are definitely ways to reduce the onset and/or prevent development. These include reduced or quitting smoking, use of birth control pills, breastfeeding, childbearing, and an active lifestyle. Hysterectomy and tubal ligation also reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Obese women are more likely to develop cancer, so weight management and an active lifestyle can also help. It is helpful to understand how to prolong the onset and/or prevent ovarian cancer.

There is no one single risk factor but the above are a combination of risk factors seen in people who have developed ovarian cancer. Interestingly, reproductive history including the number of full-term pregnancies and breastfeeding reduce the chances of developing ovarian cancer. Smoking is another controllable risk factor, and the risk reduces with reducing or quitting. Controlling the above risk factors can help in delaying the onset of ovarian cancer, as complete prevention is not possible

There is definitely a genetic/hereditary correlation to ovarian cancer, but there is an equally strong correlation with reproductive history. Women who have carried to full term are at lesser risk of ovarian cancer. The risk further reduces with subsequent pregnancies. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk further. Use of hormonal birth control also reduces the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Gynecologic history including childbirth and breastfeeding can prevent or reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer.