Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to detect. There is currently no effective screening test for this disease. Identifying those at high risk and offering preventive or risk-reducing options will have the greatest impact on saving lives.
Ovarian Cancer Canada’s goal is to make way for generations who won’t have to face this disease. By providing resources to support self-advocacy and highlighting important considerations related to genetic testing, preventive measures, and related side effects; We are helping those at high risk for this disease to weigh their options in determining what’s right for them.
Risk reduction for this disease can take many forms and it helps to understand the options. If you have questions and are looking for more information, Ovarian Cancer Canada is here to help. While we cannot provide medical advice, we offer a variety of resources and tools available to understand your options. For more information on prevention and your options, please see below or contact Alison Ross, Director, Knowledge Mobilization, Ovarian Cancer Canada at aross@ovarianacanada.org or Stephanie Gosselin, Director, Programs, Ovarian Cancer Canada at sgosselin@ovariancanada.org.
For expert medical advice, we recommend talking to your doctor about your concerns.
Your body has thousands of genes, which carry the instructions cells need to grow and function. A genetic mutation occurs when a gene is altered and stops working as it should.
Certain genetic mutations pose an increased risk for ovarian cancer and other diseases. While having a mutation associated with ovarian cancer does not necessarily mean that you will develop this disease, it can increase your risk to as much as 50 per cent. But knowledge is your superpower. Knowing about a genetic mutation can help save your life and those you love.
If you are living with ovarian cancer, related to someone who has been diagnosed, or of Ashkenazi Jewish or French-Canadian descent - learning about your genes is vital. Knowledge of a genetic mutation can inform action to prevent ovarian cancer, stopping the disease before it starts. In other cases, it can help target treatment for improved outcomes.
Ovarian Cancer Canada is here for you.
An estimated one in five cases of ovarian cancer can be linked to genetic mutations that are inherited from a mother or father. There are also instances where a genetic mutation is present within the tumour itself, while there is no related genetic mutation carried in your blood. Learning about your genetic makeup can help your oncology team target treatment, and this can lead to improved outcomes. Because inherited mutations can affect risk for other types of cancer and diseases, knowing more about your genetics can also help as you consider whether preventive action is right for you.
If you have inherited a genetic mutation, you also have the ability to save lives. By sharing what you’ve learned about your own genes with your first-degree relatives - including your parents, siblings and children - you can encourage genetic testing to see if they too have a mutation passed from generation to generation. If they do, they can make informed decisions to potentially stop ovarian cancer and other diseases before they start.
If you haven’t already done so, speak to your oncologist about genetic testing to support your health. It may also help protect the wellbeing of those you love.
By pursuing genetic testing, you’ve taken an important step towards learning more about your risk for ovarian cancer. And knowledge is power.
Certain mutations, most notably to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, are often associated with ovarian cancer and other diseases. While having one of these genetic mutations doesn’t necessarily mean that you will develop ovarian cancer, it does increase risk to as much as 50 per cent, substantially higher than the average risk of 1.3 per cent.
The good news is there is something you can do about it.
If you have a genetic mutation associated with ovarian cancer, you can stop the disease before it starts. Doctors recommend surgery to remove the fallopian tubes and ovaries. This is called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.
Speak to your doctor about the benefits and risks of this approach. They can help you determine whether it’s right for you, given your specific circumstances. Recommendations vary depending on factors such as your age and the type of genetic mutation you carry.
Our genes are passed from generation to generation. If you inherited a genetic mutation, talk to your first-degree relatives about what you’ve learned. This conversation could very well save their lives by spurring them to find out more about their genes and make informed decisions about prevention or risk reduction.
If your parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, there is a possibility that she may have a genetic mutation that’s been passed from generation to generation. If your first-degree relative has an inherited mutation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have the same genetic mutation. Nor does it mean that you are going to develop ovarian cancer. What it does mean is that you may have an increased risk for this disease.
There’s only one way to find out. Learning more about your genes can inform your choices for prevention, or risk reduction. Speak to your doctor about genetic testing, and the best way for you to access a test.
If your relative hasn’t pursued genetic testing, her doing so can be of great benefit. For a start, advances in treatment have made it possible to target certain genetic mutations for better outcomes. As well, knowing about her genes can support first-degree relatives, like yourself, in taking steps to learn more about their own risk for this disease.
Genetic mutations associated with ovarian cancer are more prevalent within certain groups. More specifically, if you are of Ashkenazi Jewish or French-Canadian descent, there is greater likelihood that you may carry a genetic mutation that increases risk for this disease. The only way to know for sure is to pursue genetic testing.
Mutations to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are often associated with ovarian cancer. While finding one of these mutations does not necessarily mean that you will develop this disease, it does increase risk to as much as 50 per cent. Importantly, it also means that you can take action to prevent ovarian cancer or reduce risk.
If you are interested in learning more about your genes, speak to your doctor about genetic testing and the best way to access a test.
Everyone who is born with ovaries has some risk of developing ovarian cancer. This disease impacts 1 in 75 Canadian women, and some are at greater risk than others depending on age, ethnicity, family history of certain cancers, reproductive history, and the presence of specific genetic mutations. Learn more about risk factors.
For expert advice, talk to your doctor about your concerns. Risk reduction for this disease can take many forms and it always helps to weigh your options.
If you are having gynecologic surgery such as a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or tubal ligation (getting tubes tied), you may wish to speak to your doctor about preventing ovarian cancer by undergoing an opportunistic salpingectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes) at the same time, since most cases of ovarian cancer originate in the fallopian tubes.
Importantly, speak to your doctor if you notice new symptoms that persist for three weeks or longer. Signs of ovarian cancer may include: bloating, abdominal pain or discomfort, fatigue, urinary symptoms, changes in bowel habits, difficulty eating, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, and menstrual irregularities. Noticing these symptoms does not mean that you have ovarian cancer. But anything that is outside your normal calls for care and attention.
So ask your doctor about a complete pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 blood test. As there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, these three tests together are the most effective means of detection.