Study: Patients With Family History of Breast Cancer at Higher Risk of Ovarian Cancer

In young women with breast cancer, the risk of developing ovarian cancer is greatly increased if they have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, according to Swedish researchers.

Women with breast cancer who have mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Because the mutations are rare, researchers believe that easily obtained information such as age and family history of breast or ovarian cancer might help with assessment of ovarian cancer risk.

Researchers linked data from the Swedish Cancer Register to the Swedish Generation Register and generated data on 30,552 breast cancer patients born after 1931, with information on breast and ovarian cancer diagnosis from 146,117 first-degree relatives.

During an average follow-up period of six years, 122 cases of ovarian cancer were identified in the group. The risk was higher in breast cancer patients diagnosed before the age of 40 with a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

An increased risk was seen in patients with a relative who was diagnosed before the age of 50, with either breast or ovarian cancer. Women with a family history of ovarian cancer have an almost ten percent risk of developing ovarian cancer before the age of 70, according to the report in The Lancet.

Researchers recommend close medical surveillance and even preventative removal of the ovaries in women who are considered at high-risk.

Other sources: The Lancet