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Ovarian cancer strikes swiftly, and often it’s unexpected. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 15,500 women will die from ovarian cancer in 2012. Here are the important facts about who’s at risk, what may cause ovarian cancer and what you should do about it.

Risk factors. Ovarian cancer occurs most frequently in women who display one or more of the following characteristics. However, this list is not exhaustive – you may contract ovarian cancer even if you don’t match any of the following criteria.

Age. As you pass age 50, your risk for ovarian cancer increases significantly.

Postponing or foregoing childbirth. The more children you have, the less likely you are to contract ovarian cancer. However, if you have had children later in life, have had fewer children or are infertile, your chances of an ovarian cancer diagnosis are much greater.

Diet. Obesity may increase your risk of ovarian cancer, and so may diabetes.

Genetic factors. If you have a close relative (daughter, sister or mother) who has had ovarian cancer, you are four times as likely to get the disease. If you have two relatives with ovarian cancer, your own risk increases by as much as ten times. In addition, the BRCA1 BRCA2 and HNPCC genes, which run in families, make women more susceptible to ovarian cancer.

Unfortunately, ovarian cancer has very few clear symptoms. You may experience abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss or fatigue – all of which may be easily mistaken for symptoms of other illnesses. By the time the disease is actually identified as ovarian cancer, the tumor may have progressed too far to be treated easily.

If you think you could be at risk for ovarian cancer, you should take out a cancer insurance policy now and ensure that you will have financial protection if you’re diagnosed with ovarian cancer down the road. CancerPlans.com offers a variety of supplemental insurance policies designed to fit your budget and your situation.

  http://www.aicr.org.uk/OvarianCancer.stm

(1) http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-031941.pdf