Q: What can i do if my risk for ovarian cancer is increased?

Answer: This situation requires expert advice form a gynaecologist with a special interest in this area of medicine. Most gynaecological oncologists (gynaecologists specialising in the treatment of cancer) have experience of advising women with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. In many cases, it is appropriate to offer such women a ‘keyhole’ operation to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes to prevent the development of cancer. However, this usually needs to be done before the menopause and therefore women may need to take hormone replacement therapy (which is safe in this situation) to prevent unpleasant symptoms and reduce their future risk of osteoporosis. The operation can also reduce their risk of breast cancer substantially. Clinical Genetics teams usually work closely with expert gynaecologists and can refer you to them. Alternatively, your GP can refer you to a local gynaecologist with a special interest in this area. See full article