What are the risks of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer?

Most cases of ovarian cancer tend to develop in women who are 50 years of age or older; however, this is not always the case, as any woman can be at risk of developing it. Although the cause is not entirely clear, there are certain factors that can influence the chances that one woman will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer (at any age), and another will not.

The problem with ovarian cancer is that most of the time it is diagnosed at a late stage (stage III or later) after much of the damage has been done. And, while ovarian cancer may be more curable with an early diagnosis, it is less likely to be cured when stage III or later has developed (depending on the type of cancer a woman is diagnosed with).

How many different types are there?

1. Ovarian epithelial cancer – It is the most common type (responsible for about 9 out of 10 cases) and predominant in women aged 50 or over.

2. Germ Cell Ovarian Cancer – it is less common (responsible for about 1 in 10 cases) and more likely to be found in a younger woman, although it is highly treatable (even when diagnosed at a late stage).

3. Stromal ovarian cancer – it is very rare (responsible for a small percentage of cases diagnosed [between 5% – 8%]), although any woman may be at risk of developing it.

What are your risk factors?

Depending on certain factors, such as: age (most cases occur from the age of 50), ovulation factors (the less a woman ovulates, the lower the risks [taking the birth pill, having children, and breast-feeding reduce the risks]), being overweight or obese, not having children, taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or having a late menopause increase the risks. However, both sterilization and hysterectomy reduce risk factors.

Another important factor that must be taken into account is the genetics of the woman involved (a family history of cancer can be very influential in the risks).

The following statistics are from previous known cases:

1. The lifetime risk of a woman being diagnosed with the disease is 1.37%.

2. The mean age at risk of developing the disease is 63 years.

3. The average age for developing the disease is 35 to 54 years.

4. Caucasian women are most at risk with 13.3 cases per 100,000.

5. Approximately 92% of women diagnosed with stage I will still be alive 5 years later.

6. The average overall survival rate for all ovarian cancers is 45% 5-year survival (because late-stage diagnosis is common).

Any woman can be at risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, although many individual factors must first be considered before estimating her prognosis (life expectancy) and chance of cure. Statistics may vary depending on the authority from which they were taken and should only be used as a guide.