How to Cut Your Risk of Ovarian Cancer

Cancer of the ovaries is one of the most difficult cancers to detect; by the time it’s diagnosed, it’s often too late for effective, curative treatment. This is born out by a recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The researchers recorded the frequency of medical visits and pelvic exams over a 5-year period based on interviews of women with and without ovarian cancer. They enrolled 668 women with cancer of the ovary, and compared them with 721 matched controls – matched for age and area of residence. There was an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women who, during the 5-year period, did not have a medical visit (risk 2.8 times higher) or pelvic exam (risk 3.9 times higher). The increased risk was greatest in postmenopausal women – 7.7 times for no medical visit, 3.3 for no pelvic exam.

An editorial comment on this study is critical. It points out that several systematic reviews have found “little value in the routine screening of these populations”. There’s no doubt that the study itself has some design drawbacks, which can be readily criticized. Perhaps, however, until more definitive results are available (a prospective comparison of two randomized groups of women, one with and one without regular care including pelvic exams), women would be advised to review the early vague symptoms of ovarian cancer, and make regular visits to their gynecologist.