5 Questions on Ovarian Cancer

What is the effect of statin use on overall survival in elderly patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer? Do you know the cumulative ovarian cancer risk to age 80 years for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers? Test your knowledge of ovarian cancer in our latest quiz.

Question 1

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Those at the highest risk are patients with two or more first-degree relatives with ovarian cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute’s treatment guide on ovarian cancer, “approximately 20% of ovarian cancers are familial, and although most of these are linked to mutations in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, several other genes have been implicated.”

Question 2

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The study reported that the cumulative breast cancer risk to age 80 years was 72% for BRCA1 carriers and 69% for BRCA2 carriers.

Question 3

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Those who previously tolerated chemotherapy were actually more likely to be accepting of its side effects, according to the study. The authors noted that overall, these findings “highlight the importance of communication with patients regarding prognosis, adverse effects, and symptom management to help negotiate the decision-making process.”

Question 4

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According to the authors of the study: “This additional prognostic information could improve trial stratification, patient-doctor communication about prognosis, and clinical decision-making.”

Question 5

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“When statin treatment was categorized by lipophilicity and intensity, a significant survival benefit was limited to lipophilic statin users and those who took statins of moderate intensity,” the article states. Improved overall survival was observed in those with both serous and nonserous histologies.