Up to 14% of ovarian cancer is due to a hereditary change such as a BRCA mutation. Because such a significant portion of ovarian cancer is hereditary, an appointment with an expert such as a geneticist or a genetic counselor is often recommended after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Learning that ovarian cancer is hereditary may change follow-up recommendations. Further, if a cancer survivor is the first person to have a genetic test in a family, his/her test result may help identify the cause of hereditary cancer in this family. This information can help other family members make decisions about genetic counseling and testing.
Ovarian cancer survivors with a BRCA mutation or hereditary cancer have a higher likelihood than women with sporadic cancer of developing breast cancer. Options for risk management of breast cancer in ovarian cancer survivors are similar to option for cancer pre-vivors who have never been diagnosed.
The FORCE website has sections devoted to cancer risk and risk management that apply to breast cancer survivors. You'll find other important information in the following sections:
Ovarian cancer survivors who have hereditary cancer are at higher risk for breast cancer than women with sporadic ovarian cancer. The exact risk for breast cancer after ovarian cancer is unknown, but may depend on a number of factors.
Ovarian cancer survivors with an hereditary cancer have options for managing their risks for a breast cancer. The most appropriate options differ between women and depend on many considerations. In general there are 3 categories of risk management options which are discussed in more detail in their respective sections.
It is important to remember that none of the risk-management options will eliminate all cancer risk. Some risk always remains, even with the surgical options.
Risk management decisions are highly personal. If you are at high risk for breast cancer, you need a clear sense of your own personal risk and an understanding of the potential benefits, risks, and side effects of each risk management option. Genetic experts can help ovarian cancer survivors who have a BRCA mutation, a family history of cancer, or other indicators of hereditary cancer determine their risk for breast cancer and develop a risk management plan. Continue to keep in touch with a genetics expert for updates on current knowledge.
Studies have shown that ovarian cancer survivors with BRCA 1 mutations generally have a better survival rate than women with sporadic ovarian cancer. There is some speculation that this may be due to a higher sensitivity of BRCA 1-associated ovarian cancers to the chemotherapy drugs called platinums which are typically used for ovarian cancer treatment.
As new research continues, treatments that specifically target hereditary cancers may become available. Some studies have suggested that BRCA-associated cancers may respond more favorably to certain chemotherapies. A new class of medications called "PARP Inhibitors" may specifically kill hereditary cancer cells caused by a BRCA mutation and spare healthy cells. A preliminary study on breast cancer cells in mice has been encouraging, killing cells that model the BRCA breast cancer cells and eliminating tumors. Research using PARP inhibitors for BRCA-associated cancer in women with metastatic breast cancer has begun in the United Kingdom. The research is still in Phase I (preliminary) trials and the availability of these drugs for cancer patients is years away. If proven effective for breast cancer, it is believed that the drug would also be effective for other types of BRCA-related cancers such as ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal cancer.
Confronting ovarian cancer diagnosis or treatment can be confusing and frightening. If you are an ovarian cancer survivor, sometimes it helps to speak with other women who have faced similar circumstances. Learn more about talking with other ovarian cancer survivors in our website’s support section.
FORCE has a section of our site devoted to research and clinical trials. To search the National Institute of Health's database on cancer clinical trials to see if there are available clinical trials in your area, click on the links below.
Fertile Hope
Fertile Hope is a nonprofit organization providing information and support
for cancer patients whose medical treatments may affect their fertility.
The website provides a wide range of information as well as links to organizations,
selected health care providers, and other resources.
Hyster Sisters
A site for women facing hysterectomy or gynecologic surgery.
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is a government agency that provides statistics, education and research on all cancer types. The site has a specific section on cancer genetics, with sections devoted entirely to hereditary breast cancer and hereditary ovarian cancer.
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition is a national nonprofit organization
providing education, support and awareness for ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance is a nonprofit organization that provides
education, awareness and advocacy for ovarian cancer.
Women’s
Cancer Network
Sponsored by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation,
the Women’s Cancer Network
has excellent overviews on the risks of ovarian cancer.
Dr. Susan Love’s Menopause and Hormone Book, by Susan Love
I'm Not in the Mood : What Every Woman Should Know About Improving Her Libido, by Judith Reichman
Ovarian Cancer: Your Guide to Taking Control, by Kristine Conner and Lauren Langford
Restore Yourself : A Woman's Guide to Reviving Her Sexual Desire and Passion for Life, by James A. Simon, M.D., and Victoria Houston
Targeting the DNA repair defect in BRCA mutant cells as a therapeutic strategy
Hannah Farmer, McCabe N, Lord CJ, Tutt AN, Johnson DA, Richardson TB, Santarosa M, Dillon KJ, Hickson I, Knights C, Martin NM, Jackson SP, Smith GC and Ashworth A. Nature. Vol. 434, p. 917-921, April 2005.
BRCA1 functions as a differential modulator of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis
Jennifer E. Quinn, Richard D. Kennedy, Paul B. Mullan, Paula M. Gilmore, Michael Carty, Patrick G. Johnston and D. Paul Harkin. Cancer Research. Volume 63: p. 6221-6228, October 2003.
Improved
survival in women with BRCA-associated ovarian carcinoma
Ilana Cass, M.D., Rae Lynn Baldwin, Ph.D., Taz Varkey, M.D., Roxana Moslehi,
Ph.D., Steven A. Narod, M.D., Beth Y. Karlan, M.D.
Cancer. Volume 97, Issue 9: p. 2187-2195, April
2003.
Effect of BRCA
mutations on the length of survival in epithelial ovarian tumors
Y. Ben David, A. Chetrit, G. Hirsh-Yechezkel, E. Friedman, B.D. Beck, U. Beller,
G. Ben-Baruch, A. Fishman, H. Levavi, F. Lubin, J. Menczer, B. Piura, J.P.
Struewing, B. Modan.
Journal of Clinical Oncology. Volume 20, Issue 2: p. 463-466, January,
2002.