What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
Most women with ovarian cancer have no family history of the disease, yet a woman is more likely to get the disease if her mother or sister has had ovarian, breast, or uterine cancer; the more relatives affected, the greater the risk. Women who have had few or no children, who delay childbearing until their 30s, or who have trouble conceiving are also at greater risk for ovarian cancer. A link between the number of periods in a women’s life and the risk of ovarian cancer exists as well. Some studies have also reported that long-time use of the fertility drug clomiphene citrate, especially if no pregnancy took place, may increase the risk of borderline ovarian tumors. This finding is not clear since infertility itself is a risk to ovarian cancer. Those who have several children, who breastfeed their infants, or who use birth control pills are at reduced risk. The difference may be linked to less frequent ovulation. Most ovarian cancers occur after menopause, with half presenting over th