Silent Killer

Known as 'the silent killer' because symptoms are often diagnosed too late, the condition is diagnosed in 7,000 women a year in the UK. Some 4,600 die every year.

Alarmingly US researchers say that the 'coil' or intra uterine device fitted in the 70's and 80's increased the risk of the disease by 76%.
Infertile women also had a 36% increased risk of succumbing to the disease. But sterilisation protected women from ovarian cancer and they were 34% less likely to be affected by the disorder.

The American Journal of Epidemiology claims that long term use of the contraceptive pill afforded protection against the condition possibly because women on the pill do not ovulate. fpa formerly known as the Family Planning Association say that the 'pill' has known health benefits protecting against pelvic inflammatory disease as well as cancers of the ovaries, cancer of the womb and colon cancer.

There is however, a 'sting in the tail' because it is suggested that the 'pill' when used by young women under 25 may lead to an increase risk of breast cancer.

Low Fat Diet

In the first study of its kind cancer rates of post menopausal women were compared according to diet considerations. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that Ovarian Cancer fell sharply amongst women eating a low fat diet for longer then four years.

Remarkably, possible falls in the rates of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke were also reported. A spokesperson for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre said that encouragingpost menopausal women to change to a low fat diet could reduce ovarian cancer and breast cancer risks.