掌控:谁会得卵巢癌?
Scientists have found that certain risk factors increase a woman's chance of developing the most common type of ovarian cancer, 上皮性卵巢癌, although in most cases this increased risk is very small. Most ovarian cancer cannot be explained by any known risk factors. More research in this area is needed to help determine why some women develop the disease and others do not.
卵巢癌的危险因素
卵巢癌家族史
如果你妈妈, 姐妹或女儿患过卵巢癌, 特别是如果他们在很小的时候就患上了这种疾病, you are considered to have an increased risk of developing the disease yourself.
About 7 percent to 10 percent of ovarian cancers result from an inherited tendency to develop the disease. The same genetic abnormality that occurs in breast cancer (BRCA1, and to a lesser extent BRCA2) may also be found in ovarian cancers.
年龄
大多数上皮性卵巢癌发生于 更年期. Menopause is considered to have occurred when a woman goes one year without a menstrual period. On average, 更年期 occurs at age 51 in the United States. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women over the age of 60.
虽然卵巢癌在年轻女性中很少见, the types that do occur tend to be easier to treat than the epithelial tumors that affect older women. This is in contrast to breast cancer, which tends to be more difficult to treat in younger women.
生殖历史
There seems to be a relationship between the number of menstrual cycles that occur in a woman's lifetime and her risk of developing ovarian cancer. 出于这个原因, starting menstruation at an early age (before age 12), not having children or having your first child after age 30, and experiencing 更年期 after age 50 may increase your risk of ovarian cancer.
同样的道理, using oral contraceptives (birth control pills) appears to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, 尤其是在使用了五年之后, 也许是因为它阻止了排卵过程. 切除子宫, 或者手术切除子宫, or tubal ligation (tying the tubes to prevent pregnancy) also seems to reduce the ovarian cancer risk.
Breast feeding slightly lowers the ovarian cancer risk, most likely because breast feeding may delay the start of the menstrual period after pregnancy.
乳腺癌的个人病史
If you have had breast cancer, your risk for developing ovarian cancer is increased. This may be because inherited mutations of certain genes may increase your risk of both types of cancers, 或者是因为其他常见的危险因素.
生育药物
Some studies suggest that long-term use of a fertility drug (clomiphene citrate) may increase a woman's risk of developing borderline (grade 0) EOC, 但此事仍在调查中. Some research suggests that it is not the drug itself, 但是潜在的不孕症, 这会增加EOC的风险.
滑石粉
It has been suggested that talcum powder applied directly to the genital area or on sanitary napkins may cause ovarian cancer, 但这种联系并没有得到很好的证明. The finding in some studies may relate to the fact that in the past talcum powder was sometimes contaminated with asbestos, 一种已知的致癌矿物质.
阅读更多
- 负责的下一部分: 如果你是卵巢癌的高危人群
回到接管指数
加州大学旧金山分校健康 medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.