SGO: The good guys

Linda and Whiskers

Long ago

There exists an outfit called the Society of Gynecological Oncology.  This learned assortment of scientists has recently published, in the journal Cancer, a review of the etiology of ovarian cancer and suggestions for the prevention of the disease.  I am tempted to acquire a copy of that issue, but I am reminded of how little I normally understand of literature written for cancer professionals.  So, I will summarize what I have tracked down and aimed at folks like us who do not understand medical Lithuanian.  Here are some web addresses for you to read at your leisure:

http://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/gynecologic-cancer/news/online/%7Ba0bc9362-16d7-46ac-a9b0-67452c0f78fd%7D/society-of-gynecologic-oncology-outlines-recommendations-for-ovarian-cancer-prevention

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.29347/full

So, here are the highlights, in no particular order.  Much of this reinforces previous suggestions forcefully  advanced previously in this series of blogs.

The median age at diagnosis (of ovarian cancer) is 63; the lifetime risk of contracting ovarian cancer is 1.3%.  (I assume that’s 1.3$ of women, not of everybody.)

Most epithelial ovarian cancer arises in the fallopian tubes, not the ovaries.  No sense having your ovaries removed without taking the fallopian tubes too.

As we have discussed many times before, association and correlation do not establish causation.  Only a “prospective* randomized controlled trial” can establish causation.  Many studies that lack this level of sophistication have subsequently been proven false.  (Enter Dr. Ioannidis, stage left, bearing a laptop:  http://ljb-quiltcutie.blogspot.com/2014/04/metrics-scourge-of-sloppy-science.html )

Use oral contraceptives for as long as possible.

Have your fallopian tubes removed after you hatch your family.

Find out if you are high-risk for ovarian cancer.  See a genetics counselor.  Get your genome investigated for suspicious mutations.

Don’t expect your primary care physician to up to snuff on ovarian cancer.  Take responsibility yourself.  And how do you do that?  By reading my blog, not just enjoying the pictures!

*”Prospective” means that you select a group of people and then follow them for many years.  This is in contradistinction to “Retrospective”, wherein you keep records of a bunch of people throughout  some (long) period of time and then, knowing how they prospered (or didn’t prosper),  go back and see what the differences may be.