Risk factors for ovarian cancer in Yaounde: A case control study

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate amongst gynaecologic cancers but fails to have a screening method. The objective of this study was to assess the reproductive and clinical risk factors for ovarian cancer. Methodology: We carried out a case-control study, from December 1 st , 2011 till April 30th, 2016, in two reference hospitals in the city of Yaoundé. The cases were comprised of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the control group comprised of women without ovarian cancer consulted during the same period. Their Menstrual characteristics, reproductive and contraceptive history and history of exposure to various environmental factors were collected. The Chi Square and Fischer’s exact tests were used to compare variables. The Odds Ratio was calculated to determine association between the variables. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. To eliminate confounding factors a logistic regression analysis was done. Results: A total of 125 patients were included in the study which comprised of 25 cases (women with ovarian cancer) and 100 controls (women having no ovarian cancer). Risk factors associated with ovarian cancer were: age greater than or equal to 48 years old (OR:37.85; p=0.000), being a widow (OR=15.25; p=0.003), being menopaused (OR=36; p=0.000), absence of contraception (OR:8.87;p=0.03)a family history of ovarian cancer (OR=24.20; p=0.004). After adjusting for the effect of the other factors, only the age group of more or equal to 48 years old was independently associated with ovarian cancer risk (aOR =29.12; p=0.01). Conclusion: women greater than or equal to 48 years of age were independently at high risk of ovarian cancer in Yaoundé. Other reproductive parameters and clinical factors were linked to confounding factors.