Can ovarian cancer be inherited?

Written by Wu Xia
Oncology
Updated on March 25, 2025
00:00
00:00

Ovarian cancer, like most tumors, has genetic factors involved in its etiology, but it is not a genetic disease. Only five to ten percent of ovarian cancer patients have a genetic background. More than ninety percent of ovarian cancer cases are sporadic, meaning that if a mother has ovarian cancer, it does not directly inherit to her daughter. However, individuals with a family history of ovarian cancer have a significantly higher risk of developing the disease compared to the general population, especially those who carry mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These gene mutations can be inherited from parents, so individuals carrying these mutations have a significantly higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than the healthy population.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
46sec home-news-image

Location of abdominal pain in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer in patients manifests as tumors in either both ovaries or one ovary. Therefore, the abdominal pain they experience is lower abdominal pain, not bloating or sudden, noticeable increase in abdominal size. Additionally, the primary pathway for the metastasis of ovarian cancer is through implantation, allowing widespread metastatic implants in the pelvic and abdominal cavities. There is also local spread of the tumor to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and surrounding pelvic tissues. Thus, the location of abdominal pain in ovarian cancer is in the lower abdomen, specifically pain and bloating in the pelvic area.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
1min 12sec home-news-image

Does ovarian cancer cause abdominal pain every day?

Patients with ovarian cancer often experience abdominal pain as a common symptom. This is because ovarian cancer can widely implant itself within the pelvic and abdominal cavity, or directly invade the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other tissues and organs within the pelvis, resulting in symptoms of abdominal pain. However, not every patient with ovarian cancer will necessarily exhibit abdominal pain as a clinical symptom, nor is it the case that abdominal pain will occur every day. For instance, some patients with early-stage ovarian cancer may have more concealed clinical presentations and may not experience any specific discomfort. They might discover the disease through physical examinations, gynecological exams, or through ultrasound scans of the uterine adnexa conducted during physical check-ups.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
43sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms and early signs of ovarian cancer?

The symptoms and early signs of ovarian cancer mainly include the following aspects. Patients may experience persistent lower abdominal pain for no apparent reason, and some patients may experience radiating pain in the vulvar area, while others may show early clinical signs of abdominal bloating. The symptoms and early signs of ovarian cancer are not very numerous. Some patients may exhibit menstrual irregularities, such as increased or decreased menstruation, prolonged periods, or irregular vaginal bleeding. A few patients may experience abnormal vaginal discharge, which can be mixed with an unusual odor and a small amount of blood.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
44sec home-news-image

early symptoms of ovarian cancer

The early symptoms of ovarian cancer in patients are often not very obvious, so they are not easily noticed. The more common symptom is an abdominal mass, meaning you can feel a lump in the abdomen. In its early stages, the abdominal mass is not large and is not easily detectable. Most patients only discover it during gynecological examinations. As the disease progresses, the mass grows larger and the abdomen visibly expands, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, or lower abdominal discomfort. Another symptom is ascites, which is a more common sign in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
45sec home-news-image

Is ovarian cancer hereditary?

The onset of ovarian cancer may be somewhat related to family history or genetic factors. Therefore, patients with a family history of ovarian cancer may have a higher risk of developing the disease compared to the general population. However, this doesn't mean that a patient with ovarian cancer will definitely pass the condition to their offspring; it merely indicates a certain level of heredity. Furthermore, for those with a family history of breast cancer, colon cancer, and endometrial cancer, it is crucial for their descendants to undergo enhanced screenings for ovarian cancer and these diseases, as their risk of developing these conditions may be higher than that of the average person.