5 Facts About Ovarian Cancer You Didn't Know

Ovarian cancer affects a quarter of a million women across the globe each year. People from both developed and developing countries are affected by this disease. But the key to its treatment and prevention is early diagnosis. Because it tends to be such a rare occurrence, people end up ignoring it's symptoms due to which thousands of women across the globe succumb to this disease. Besides all you know about ovarian cancer, there are certain facts about this disease which you may have never heard of.

So here we enlist 5 interesting facts about ovarian cancer you may have never heard of. Take a look.

1. Family history is an important risk factor of this disease

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Family history of the disease is an important risk factor. On both your mother's and your father's side, if there is a person who has dealt with ovarian cancer at some point of time, the risk of developing ovarian cancer increases. The risk further triples if a relative of the first degree, like mother, sister or daughter has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

2. A woman's risk of ovarian cancer increases with age

Ovarian cancer and age are closely related. As you age, your risk of ovarian cancer increases. The age at which you experience some reproductive changes like the onset of periods or your first pregnancy, are also important risk factors of the disease. Women are more likely to get ovarian cancer after menopause.

3. Heading to a doctor to get checked is not enough

So if you thought that rushing to your ob-gyn is enough, you are mistaken. Your doctor is simply checking for cervical cancer which is not really that invasive a disease. No screening test is known to detect the presence of ovarian cancer. Your doctor may check the ovaries but that cannot check for cancer until the tumour is big enough to be seen.

4. Oral contraceptive pills could reduce your risk

Birth control pills have a number of benefits, from regulating your hormones to preventing unwanted pregnancies. But besides these, contraceptive pills have been found effective in preventing the onset of cancer. Regular consumption of oral contraceptives for five years from 20-30 years of age can cut ovarian cancer risk by 50%.

5. It is the deadliest gynecological disease

Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease which kills two/thirds of the women affect by it. So experts recommend that one should be proactive, as soon as you start noticing the symptoms, you must get diagnosed for it.