What Are Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer?

What Are Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer? (0:58)

While doctors don't know all the risk factors for ovarian cancer, researchers have identified a few. In this video, Nimesh Nagarsheth, MD, a gynecolgic oncologist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, identifies three major risk factors.

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First and foremost the strongest risk factor is a hereditary cause. Approximately 15% of ovarian cancers are related to some sort of genetic abnormality, we've isolated some genetic abnormalities, we know BRCA I, BRCA II mutations that carry up to an 85% risk of developing breast cancer and approximately 40% risk of developing ovarian cancer. But again, these are only representative of about 15% of all ovarian cancer patients.

Other risk factors for ovarian cancer include infertility, advanced age. Talc, use of talc has been associate with increased risk.