The risk of developing ovarian cancer increases as a woman ages. Most ovarian cancers occur in women over the age of 50 with the highest risk in women over 65. First-degree relatives of a woman who has had ovarian cancer are at risk of developing the disease possibly at a younger age. Women who have never had children are at risk as well. Helm says carriers of these genes may be stricken with the disease at a younger age than usual.
Factors reducing the risk are sterilization and oral contraceptive use.
If a woman has been taking the pill for 120 months, then her risk may be 20 percent less that of someone who has never used it. However, this may not completely protect a woman from developing cancer later. Diagnosis and Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer Helm says early detection of ovarian cancer is a major challenge. The logic is that if we can detect this early, we have a greater chance of curing the patient. To detect ovarian cancer, doctors may perform a series of diagnostic tests such as the CA-125, a physical exam or transvaginal ultrasound.