Abstract

Background: Ovarian malignancy accounts for almost 25 % of all gynaecological malignancies. Despite advances in molecular biology, surgery and chemotherapy long term survival of primary ovarian malignancy have hardly changed. Hence it is important to identify the risk factors. Though India comes under low incidence population for ovarian malignancy, age adjusted incidence rates are steadily increasing. A few studies only is reported from India and hence the need for this study.

Methods: This is a case control study done at SAT Hospital, Government Medical College Thiruvanantha-puram, Kerala over a period of one year. 50 women with a histological diagnosis of primary ovarian malignancy were studied. 50 age matched controls were taken. Data were collected by face to face interview. The data was coded and analysed using SPSS package. Case control analysis was done to find out the strength of association of individual risk factors. Odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence interval were calculated.

Results: Cases and controls were similar in socio-demographic variables. The significant risk factors were, age at menarche 13 or less, period of ovulation in postmenopausal woman more than 33 years and not underwent tubal ligation. Parity one or less, BMI more than 25 were not found as risk factors in our study.

Conclusion: Ovarian carcinoma is hormone dependant with consistent association between ovulatory events or ovulation associated with ovarian inflammation. The importance of tubal ligation as a protective factor in ovarian carcinoma has to be highlighted.

Keywords: ovarian malignancy, risk factors, ovulation, Indian population.

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