Women’s Health Newsflash: Ovarian Cancer

Who has time to read it all? Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know in recent women’s health news. Today’s topic: Ovarian cancer.

Birth Control Pill Gives Long-lasting Protection Against Ovarian Cancer, Study Shows

The contraceptive Pill gives women substantial and long-lasting protection against ovarian cancer, according to a new report led by Oxford scientists published in The Lancet. The researchers found that the protection against ovarian cancer lasted for more than 30 years after women had stopped taking the Pill. They also found that the longer the Pill was used the greater the protection and that taking the Pill for 15 years halved the risk of ovarian cancer. Read more >>>

Ovarian Cancer Risk Not Affected By Alcohol And Smoking, But Reduced By Caffeine, Study Finds

A new study has found that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption do not have an effect on ovarian cancer risk, while caffeine intake may lower the risk, particularly in women not using hormones. The study is published in the March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Read more >>>

Breast Cancer Gene Might Extend Ovarian Cancer Survival

Ashkenazi Jewish women with ovarian cancer live significantly longer if they carry specific mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes known to raise risks for breast cancer. After five years of following a group of Ashkenazi Jewish women with ovarian cancer, researchers reported that women with the BRCA1 or 2 mutations were 29 percent less likely to die from the disease. Read more >>>

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Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: oral contraceptive, birth control pill, ovarian cancer, ovarian cancer prevention, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, health risks, health benefits, breast cancer gene, Ashkenazi Jewish women