Risk factors among patients with ovarian cancer attending oncology hematology center in Basrah city

Worldwide, approximately 225,500 ovarian cancers are diagnosed annually. The leading cause of gynecological cancer death (140,200 worldwide annually) is the ovarian cancer, which accounts for more deaths than all the other gynecological cancers combined. The ovarian cancer is the fourteenth commonest cancer among population in Basrah city in Iraq. This is a case control study carried out in the Basrah oncology – hematology center and primary health care cen ters in Basrah city. The study include 103 cases of ovarian cancer and 206 control. We found that more than half of case of ovarian cancer aged 50 years and above. History of insulin treatment is a risk factor for ovarian cancer (OR more than one) with significant statistical association. Hysterectomy and tubal ligation are protective against ovarian cancer . There are many risk factors of ovarian cancer some of these are modifiable while the others are not modifiable. Hysterectomy and tubal ligation considered as protective factors.