Risk factors and prevention of ovarian cancer susceptibility

Epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC)is the leading cause of gynecological cancer deaths.Although the etiology of ovarian cancer is unclear,many associated risk factors have been identified.Chief among these is the family history of the disease.Hereditary ovarian cancer is responsible for about 5%~10% of ovarian cancer cases.Based on the identification of these risk factors,the incidence of ovarian cancer can be reduced by pregnancy,lactation,the oral contraceptive pill and tubal ligation.Some evidence suggests the risk can also be reduced by eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables,avoiding smoking,avoiding being overweight and avoiding long-term use of unopposed hormonal replacement therapy(HRT).Strategies available to high-risk women include screening and prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy,which is the most effective method of cancer risk reduction in women with a BRCA1、2 gene mutation.Besides,more and more evidence shows that oral contraceptives are also protective to ovarian cancer.