Until additional information is available, you may want to avoid talcum products or substitute cornstarch-based powders that contain no talc. Personal history of breast, endometrial or colon cancer. Some studies have shown that a woman who has one of these cancers may be at increased risk for ovarian cancer as well. There may be a correlation between the number of menstrual cycles in a woman's lifetime and her risk of having ovarian cancer. Infertility, never having used birth control pills, never having been pregnant, or becoming pregnant at a later age may result in a higher risk.
Most ovarian cancers occur after menopause.
Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women over age 65. Minimizing Risk Unfortunately, there is currently no consistently reliable, highly accurate screening test to detect ovarian cancer. However, all women should have a yearly pelvic exam beginning at age 18 or when they become sexually active. During this exam the doctor will feel the ovaries and uterus, checking their size and shape for abnormalities. If there is a family history of ovarian cancer, or if other significant risk factors are present, additional screening should be considered.