Ovarian Cancer - Symptoms

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Highlights	Prognosis	Resources
Introduction	Treatment	References
Risk Factors and Prevention	Surgery	References
Symptoms	Chemotherapy
Diagnosis	Radiation Therapy

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Preventive Factors with Less Conclusive Evidence. Some studies, but not all, have suggested that tea consumption is associated with reduced risk of ovarian cancer.

Preventive Strategies for High-Risk Women

Women with a strong family history of ovarian cancer may wish to discuss these preventive strategies with their doctors.

Genetic Counseling and Screening for BRCA Genes. The latest guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommend BRCA testing for women at high risk for ovarian cancer. The USPSTF does not recommend routine genetic counseling or testing for BRCA genes in low-risk women (no family history of BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations).

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Screening with Ultrasound or Blood Tests. Screening high risk women has not been found to be effective and is not recommended:

Ultrasound is not helpful for identifying early-stage ovarian cancer in high-risk women. In addition, ultrasound does not provide enough specific information to reliably determine which abnormal masses are cancerous or noncancerous.
The CA-125 blood test is not approved for screening in the general population.

Removal of Ovaries (Oophorectomy). Surgical removal of the ovaries, called oophorectomy, significantly reduces the risk for ovarian cancer. When it is used to specifically prevent ovarian cancer in high-risk women, the procedure is called a prophylactic oophorectomy. Prophylactic oophorectomy is approximately 95% protective against ovarian cancer and is recommended for women at high risk for ovarian cancer. These women generally have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, or have two or more first-degree relatives who have had ovarian cancer.

Bilateral oophorectomy is the removal of both ovaries. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the removal of both fallopian tubes plus both ovaries. Several recent studies indicate that salpingo-oophorectomy is very effective in reducing risk for ovarian cancer in women who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.