Study established five new genetic contributors to ovarian cancer

Five new regions of the human genome are linked to the increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, a new study has established.

A research collaboration between a number of international organisations – which was published yesterday (March 27th) in the Nature Communications and Nature Genetics journals – involved analysing the genetic information of more than 40,000 females globally.

For instance, it was found that inherited mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes "dramatically increase ovarian cancer risk", although this is relevant to less than one percent of the population.

Figures from the National Cancer Institute show than ovarian cancer accounts for around three percent of all instances of cancer among women, with many deaths resulting from the condition being directly attributable to the lack of effective screening tests and early symptoms.

Previously, the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium established the existence of six genetic differences that can contribute to this illness and this new study has now found five more.