A new research suggests that a gene mutation that can be passed from fathers to daughters could increase the risks of ovarian cancer. The research was published in the PLoS Genetics journal.
So if a woman’s paternal grandmother had ovarian cancer, the woman is more vulnerable to face risks as compared to, if her grandmother from her mother’s side had ovarian cancer.
As the mutation is transmitted through the X-chromosome, the chances of getting affected by cancer will be less even if the maternal grandmother had the disease.
In the study, researchers analyzed 3,499 pairs of grandmothers and granddaughters from the Roswell Park Center Institute’s Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry.
“We performed germline X-chromosome exome sequencing on 186 women with ovarian cancer from the registry. The rate of cancers was 28.4% in paternal grandmother/granddaughter pairs and 13.9% in maternal pairs consistent with an X-linked dominant model,” analyzed the researchers in the study report.
Risks involved with Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer refers to any cancerous growth that starts in the ovary.
The risk of developing ovarian cancer gets higher with age. Generally, ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Most of the ovarian cancers are found in women 63 years of age or older.
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Also, other major risks related to ovarian cancer and can lead to it are; obesity, experiencing full-time pregnancy after 35 years of age or never.
Using the fertility drug clomiphene citrate (Clomid®) for more than one year can increase the risk for developing ovarian tumors, according to some studies.
Women who carried pregnancy before 26 years of age and women who used oral contraceptives or birth control pills are at lower risks of developing ovarian cancer.
Father’s genes can affect daughter’s risk of Ovarian cancer
“The rate of cancers was 28.4% in paternal grandmother/granddaughter pairs and 13.9% in maternal pairs consistent with an X-linked dominant model (Chi-square test X2 = 0.02, p = 0.89) and inconsistent with an autosomal dominant model (X2 = 20.4, p<0.001),” find the researchers.
The research team led by Kevin Eng said that they will be stringing more families to further their research and confirm its findings.
“What we have to do next is make sure we have the right gene by sequencing more families. This finding has sparked a lot of discussion within our group about how to find these X-linked families,” said Kevin Eng, Tech Times reports.
Among all gynAecologicAL cancers (cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar) ovarian cancer has the highest rate of deaths.
While further research is required, this study could be a noteworthy landmark toward the prevention of ovarian cancer which in most cases is diagnosed too late.
With the help of this study women can be more aware of the risks of developing the stipulation and that can enable them to take necessary measures towards precaution and prevention.
India ranks among the top two countries globally on mortality for key women-specific cancers.
Since it is diagnosed late, it reaches a stage where the difficulty to treat the same increases, this study, therefore, could save many lives.
Aware your friends, sisters, mothers and wives!
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: TechTimes, Women’s Health, International Business Times, Ovariancancer.org + more
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