There is some evidence that being overweight can increase your risk of ovarian cancer.  Some research has suggested that beta-carotene (found in yellow and green leafy vegetables such as such as carrots, spinach, red peppers and yellow fruits such as mango, melon and apricots) in the diet can reduce the risk of this cancer, although this finding has not yet been confirmed.

There are several genes, which are known to carry increased risks of various cancers, which can run in families.  The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were originally discovered because they cause an increased risk of breast cancer, but we now know that they also substantially increase the risk of ovarian cancer.  The HNPCC gene (which stands for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer) was discovered because it increases the risk of colon cancer, but women with this gene also have a greater chance of getting ovarian cancer.  Overall, if you have one close relative (mother, sister or daughter) who has had ovarian cancer, your risk goes up about 4-fold.  If you have two cases amongst close relatives, your risk goes up 10-fold or more.
 
There is no reliable method of screening for ovarian cancer. However, both the CA125 blood test and vaginal ultrasound are currently being tested as possible methods for screening women for ovarian cancer.
 
Unfortunately, there are few clear symptoms of ovarian cancer.  Typically it can cause pain in the abdomen, a feeling of being bloated, fatigue, weight loss, or problems with passing water.    However, these can all be caused by a number of other diseases which makes it difficult to diagnose ovarian cancer by symptoms alone.

If ovarian cancer is suspected, two main tests are used to make the diagnosis.  First, an ultrasound scan of the abdomen is performed.  Sometimes the scan is taken from inside the vagina. (known as a transvaginal ultrasound)  The second test is to measure the level of the CA125 marker in the blood.   A tumour marker is a chemical that is produced by cancer cells and which circulates in the blood stream.    Neither of these tests gives a definite diagnosis of ovarian cancer, but if both tests are positive, the patient is usually referred to a surgeon who may operate to see if the ovaries show any signs of cancer.
 
The treatment used will depend on how advanced the cancer is and how old the patient is.  For younger patients with early cancer, limited surgery may be used in order to preserve their fertility.  For older patients with more advanced cancers, the ovaries and the womb are usually removed.  If the cancer has spread, further tissue may need to be removed to get out as much of the cancer as possible.  Chemotherapy is normally used after the surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.  Sometimes it is also used before the surgery to shrink the tumour and make it easier to remove completely.
 
Overall, only about two out of every five women with ovarian cancer can be cured.  Like all other cancers, the stage at which ovarian cancer is diagnosed determines how easy it is to