Ovarian Cancer checklists

Risk factors

Risk Reduction

Early Detection

• Are you over age 40?
• Have you already gone through menopause?
• Are you obese (very overweight)?
• Did you have no children?
• Has your mother, sister, or daughter had ovarian or breast cancer?
• Has one of your parents, siblings, or children had colorectal cancer?
• Does anyone in your family have hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC, also called Lynch syndrome), or are you at risk for HNPCC?
• Have you had breast cancer?
• Have you been on estrogen replacement therapy (without progesterone) for more than 5 years?

• Use oral contraceptives for several years
• Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy for your specific situation
• Talk with your doctor about having your ovaries removed, if you are at high risk. (This surgery causes sudden menopause.)

There are no effective and proven screening tests for early detection of ovarian cancer, but there are things you can do.

1.Watching for and reporting signs and symptoms may allow earlier detection. Although all these symptoms can have other causes, see a doctor if you have these almost daily for more than a few weeks:

• Bloating
• Pain in the pelvis or belly
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary urgency or frequency

2. If your mother, sister, or daughter has had ovarian cancer or breast cancer, or if your parent, sibling, or child has had colorectal cancer, you are at high risk of ovarian cancer. If you have had breast cancer, you are also at high risk. You may want to talk to your doctor about:

• Pelvic exams
• Pelvic ultrasound
• CA-125 blood test