Ovarian Cancer Prevention

Ovarian cancer occurs within the ovarian tissues. There are two major kinds of ovarian cancer which affect women. These are epithelial carcinomas as well as malignant germ cell tumors. Epithelial carcinomas originate within the cells situated in the external portion of the ovary while the malignant germ cells take birth within the egg cells in the ovary. A recent data of the National Cancer Institute has reported 21,550 fresh ovarian cancer cases. The scary statistics, no doubt calls for devising ways and means of ovarian cancer prevention.

Prevention of ovarian cancer is difficult since the general risk factors associated with this disease are not in absolute control for most people. However, knowing the risk factors and realizing that detection in the early stage of the disease can help are facts which people must be made aware of.

Get to know the probable causes behind ovarian cancer

It is seen that majority of women suffering from ovarian cancer are above 55 years or have reached menopause. Women undergoing hormone replacement therapy are also prone to ovarian cancer.
Women with a personal or family history of other forms of cancer are more vulnerable to ovarian cancer.
Women with no history of pregnancy have greater risks of developing ovarian cancer.
If you have a past medical history of ovarian cysts, you do run the risk of being affected with ovarian cancer as the cysts get older.

Realize that certain factors do help in prevention of ovarian cancer. Let us discuss each of the preventive steps one by one.

Lifestyle changes: Try to follow a regular weight-loss routine if you are obese. Include some physical activities to help in weight loss and boost your immune system. Scientific data has proved that excessive weight is directly linked to cancer. Follow regular sleeping patterns to provide support to the endocrine systems in order to suppress cancerous growth. Do try to reduce your stress levels as emotional well-being is one of the primary defenders against cancer.

Change in food habits: Include foods in your daily diet which has good quantity of anti-oxidants in them. These include fruits, whole grains, legumes and organic vegetables. Vegetables and fruits are full of cancer resisting compounds. Avoid preserved, smoked or canned food that contain nitrates and consume more of natural food.

Use of natural products: Limit the use of detergents and cleaning solutions containing chemicals which are carcinogenic. It is always better to make a switchover to natural cleaning products. Also do avoid cosmetics containing formaldehyde as well as sodium lauryl sulfate as these have nitrosamines which are carcinogenic.

Use of oral contraceptives: Use of birth control pills is known to decrease the risk of developing ovarian cancer by as high as 40 to 50%. Using oral contraceptives for 5 years or more offers greater protective benefits.

Pregnancy as well as breast feeding: There is reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer by about 30% to 60% in women who have gone through pregnancy rather than someone who has not experienced it. There is lower ovarian cancer risk if a woman gives birth to her first child before the age of 30. Breast feeding is also known to offer protection against ovarian cancer.

Genetic counseling and therapy: Genetic counseling is recommended if a woman has a family history of ovarian cancer. Consultation with a gene therapist may help if you want to analyze the nature of your gene. You will get to know if you are the carrier of mutated genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 which have linkage with ovarian cancer. Women with mutated genes may opt for removal of fallopian tubes and ovaries through surgery.

Tubal ligation: This refers to a form of surgery wherein the fallopian tubes are "tied" or ligated for preventing pregnancy. Tubal ligation is known to prevent carcinogens from getting to the ovary through the vagina.

Removal of ovary: A woman who has crossed the age of 40 and is undergoing a surgery wherein her uterus is being removed for uterine fibroids, she can opt to get her ovaries removed too in order to reduce the chances of ovarian cancer. This procedure is called prophylactic oophorectomy and is only recommended in those women who already have children and also possess a family history of cancer of the ovaries.

Remember that early detection of ovarian cancer through pap as well as pelvic examination is possible. Early detection will help in timely treatment of the ovarian cancer. Pelvic examination will help to detect lumps in the ovaries. A pap smear also helps in detection of abnormal cells inside the cervix.