1 in 5 women with ovarian cancer have a genetic predisposition

At least 20% of women with ovarian cancer have a genetic predisposition to the disease even if they don’t have a family history ovarian cancer, according to a recent study. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis analyzed the genes in ovarian cancer tumor samples from over 400 women with no family history of disease. Surprisingly, in 20% of samples they found inherited errors in genes that normally repair cellular damage and control cell growth. These errors likely resulted in a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. These results emphasize the need for enhanced screening techniques for ovarian cancer since family history is not a reliable predictor of risk for many women.

Read a full report of the study here.