Ovarian Cancer - Prevention

Tubal Ligation. Tubal ligation, a method of sterilization that ties off the fallopian tubes, has been associated with a decreased risk for ovarian cancer in some -- but not all -- studies. A 2001 study specifically reported a significantly lower risk in women who carried the BRCA1 mutation.

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Removal of Ovaries (Oophorectomy)

Surgical removal of the ovaries, called oophorectomy, significantly reduces the risk for ovarian cancer. When it is used to specifically prevent ovarian cancer in high-risk women, the procedure is called a prophylactic oophorectomy. Prophylactic oophorectomy is approximately 95% protective against ovarian cancer.

Some experts now consider prophylactic oophorectomy in the following situations:

Women who have two or more first-degree relatives afflicted with ovarian cancer (or who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation), and who are 35 years old or older and have completed their families.

Considerable controversy still exists, however for the following reasons:

One study reported that oophorectomy might improve survival rates in women carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes by about half a year to over two years. However, the impact of this procedure on survival is still uncertain.
Even after oophorectomy, women in high-risk groups for ovarian cancer still have a risk for the development of cancer in the peritoneum (the sac inside the abdomen that holds the intestines, uterus, and ovaries).
The procedure causes early menopause in younger women.