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Boehringer Ingelheim
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Whilst the cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, there are a number of influencing factors that can increase or decrease a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer. Risk factors include: |
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1. Obesity | |
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Obesity has been shown to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer by 75% in premenopausal women.1
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2. Age |
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| The risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age: it is more common in women who have been through the menopause,2 with more than four in five cases diagnosed in women over 50 years of age.3 | ||
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3. Genetic risk factors | |
| One of the most significant risk factors is the presence of inherited specific gene mutations. One genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer can be found in about 10-15% of all ovarian cancer patients, and commonly affects mechanisms of DNA repair.4 | ||
| 4. Family members with ovarian cancer | ||
| A family history of breast cancer that occurred at a young age can hint at an increased familial risk for ovarian cancer. Similarly, a family history of colon cancer or endometrial cancer is associated with an increased risk to develop ovarian cancer.5 | ||
| If you want to find out more about ovarian cancer, please launch the animated infographic. | ||
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1. Cancer Research UK, Ovarian Cancer RIsk Factors. [Online] Available at: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/ovary/riskfactors/ [Last accessed September 2011].
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Source for healthcare professionals: www.inoncology.com
* Nintedanib (BIBF 1120), afatinib (BIBW 2992) and volasertib (BI 6727) are investigational compounds. Their safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established.
