FORCE's eXamining the Relevance of Articles for You (XRAY) program looks behind the headlines of cancer news to help you understand what the research means for you.
XRAY is a reliable source of hereditary cancer research-related news and information.
Learn more about the XRAY program
Ovarian Cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Study : Birth control pills may offer long-term protection against endometrial and ovarian cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Most relevant for: People concerned about endometrial, ovarian or breast cancer risk
A large study showed that birth control pills may protect against endometrial and ovarian cancers, even years after use was discontinued. (posted 6/1/21)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/60b6941b132bd.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Study : Body Mass Index (BMI) may affect how well aspirin use protects against colorectal and ovarian cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Most relevant for: People concerned about their risk of colorectal or ovarian cancer.
This study looked at the impact of daily aspirin use on the risk for many types of cancers and whether this effect can be modified by risk factors such as obesity, smoking, physical inactivity or a family history of cancer. Daily aspirin use:
- lowered the risk for colorectal cancer, but this effect was lost as Body Mass Index (BMI) increased.
- lowered the risk of ovarian cancer risk among obese women.
- offered little or no protection against breast, endometrial or advanced prostate cancer.
(posted 3/19/21)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/60551135c3406.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Breastfeeding may lower risk of ovarian cancer in women with BRCA mutations
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: Women considering breastfeeding who have inherited BRCA mutations.
Data from a large-scale study suggests that breastfeeding may protect against ovarian cancer in women with inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. (1/28/21)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/601440ff77f8b.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Women support delayed removal of ovaries
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: Women at high risk of ovarian cancer who are considering undergoing risk-reducing surgery.
Risk-reducing early removal of fallopian tubes followed by removal of ovaries at a later date was acceptable to women at high risk of ovarian cancer due to an inherited mutation in a recent study. This was especially true for women worried about sexual dysfunction associated with surgical menopause. (12/24/20)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/5fe40b519e623.jpg)
Personal Story : Coping with chemotherapy-induced hair loss
Most relevant for: People who receive chemotherapy for cancer treatment
Ovarian cancer survivor Stephanie Hess shared her personal story about how she coped with hair loss. This XRAY review also includes treatments to reduce this common side effect of chemotherapy. (9/28/20)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/shutterstock_1779780464.jpg)
Update : FDA approves the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) as maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer
Most relevant for: Women with advanced ovarian cancer whose tumor has a BRCA mutation or a type of tumor marker called homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)
The FDA has approved the first drug combination to be used as a first-line maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer. (7/7/2020)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/ola-bev.jpg)
Update : New FDA approval of PARP inhibitor for maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer
Most relevant for: People with advanced ovarian cancer who have had a complete or partial response to chemotherapy
The FDA has approved the use of niraparib (Zejula) as a maintenance therapy for women with advanced ovarian cancer who have had a complete or partial response to chemotherapy. (5/7/20)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/niraparib-approval.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Cancer risk associated with inherited mutations in Lynch syndrome genes
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: People with Lynch syndrome mutations
Lynch syndrome is the most common inherited cause of cancer affecting about 1 in 300 people. People with Lynch syndrome have an increased risk of colorectal endometrial and other cancers. A large study followed people with mutations in the Lynch syndrome genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 to determine the risk of other types of cancer. (2/21/20)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/shutterstock_1248142891.jpg)
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Study : Second surgery may not benefit women with recurrent ovarian cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Most relevant for: Women with recurrent ovarian cancer
Many women who have recurrent ovarian cancer have a second surgery. A new study suggests that women with platinum sensitive cancers who get chemotherapy alone may do as well as or better than women who have surgery followed by chemotherapy. (1/21/20)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/Xray ovarian surgery.jpg)
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Niraparib increases progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: Women newly-diagnosed with ovarian cancer
This study looked at the effectiveness and safety of niraparib (Zejula), a PARP inhibitor, as maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients who had a response to chemotherapy. (11/5/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/shutterstock_1064784917.jpg)
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