Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer

Tubal Ligation May Cut Ovarian Cancer Risk
Women with a high probability of developing ovarian cancer could reduce their risk by having their Fallopian tubes tied, say researchers from Sunnybrook and Women's College Hospital in Toronto.

Researchers studied 232 women with a history of ovarian cancer and compared them with healthy women. It turned out that those who carried the BRCA 1 gene, meaning a high risk of ovarian cancer, had a 60 percent decrease in their risk if they had a tubal ligation.

Why it works isn't known, but it may be due to an effect on hormones or a reduction in inflammation of the ovary. Without intervention, carriers of the BRCA 1 mutation are believed to have a 40 percent lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Traditionally, use of oral contraceptives has been recommended to cut risk. However, it may increase breast cancer risk. Tubal ligation did not offer the same protection for BRCA 2 carriers.

Narod SA, Sun P, Ghadirian P, et al. Tubal ligation and risk of ovarian cancer in carriers of BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations: a case-control study. Lancet. 2001;357:1467-9.

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