- You face an increased risk of getting
ovarian cancer if blood female relations – aunts or mothers for examples –
have had the disease or if any blood relation – such as fathers,
grandfathers or even uncles – suffered from any form of cancer. - Epithelial ovarian cancer is rare among young women, but the
incidence increases around the time of menopause and continues to increase
as a woman gets older. And, women who had their first period before age
12 and women who reach menopause after age 50 have a higher risk of
ovarian cancer. - Avoid risky sex. There is evidence that having
unprotected sex or sex with people whose background you do not know will
increase your chance of getting ovarian cancer as well as AIDS, HIV and
STDs. When you have sex with someone her or his sexual history becomes
your sexual history. Choose the safe route here and have committed and
protected sex. - Eat better. While there are no magical foods
to immunize you against any cancer, there is general evidence that your
general chances of getting any cancer are decreased by eating smart. - Exercise too is not a magic amulet to
ward off cancer though there are general indications that healthy exercise
will decrease your chances of getting any type of cancer. Those life
factor changes may be all you need to reduce your chances of getting
ovarian cancer to an acceptable level. If the risk levels are still too
high though, you can choose one of these two lifestyle choices. - Get pregnant. Women who have never been pregnant are at
a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. The more times a woman has
been pregnant, the lower her risk for ovarian cancer. Or, take birth
control pills. Taking oral contraceptives for 5 or more years can reduce
the risk of ovarian cancer by 50%.
- Age: Most
ovarian cancers happen after change of life (menopause). Half of all these
cancers are found in women over the age of 63. - Obesity: A
study from the ACS found a higher rate of death from ovarian cancer in women
who were overweight. The risk went up by 50% in the heaviest women. - Menstrual periods: There seems to be a link between the number of periods
(menstrual cycles) in a woman’s lifetime and her risk of getting ovarian
cancer. Women who started having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who
went through the change of life (menopause) after the age of 50 have a small
increased risk of ovarian cancer. The same is true for women who have not had
children, or had their first child after they were 30 years old.
- Fertility drugs: Some studies have found that long-time use of one fertility
drug (clomiphene citrate), especially if no pregnancy took place, may increase
the risk of LMP tumors. But infertility also increases the risk, even without
the use of fertility drugs. Research in this area is now going on.
- Menstrual periods: There seems to be a link between the number of periods
- Family history:
Ovarian cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives (mother,
sister, daughter) have (or had) this disease. The relatives can be from either
the mother’s or father’s side of the family. There is a higher risk if ovarian
cancer happened at an early age. About 1 in 10 cases of ovarian cancers are
linked to gene changes that can be found with certain tests. These changes are
also linked to an increased risk of breast and colorectal cancer. - Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT): Some studies suggest that women using estrogens after
menopause may have an increased risk of ovarian cancer, but other studies have
not found any effect. Most of these findings have been for women who used
estrogen alone, not those taking combined estrogen and progesterone. The
increased risk is less certain for women taking both drugs. Because of the
small number of studies, doctors are not sure whether estrogens increase the
risk of ovarian cancer - Birth control pills: Birth control pills reduce the risk of ovarian cancer,
especially among women who use them for several years.
- Tubal ligation or hysterectomy: "Tying" the tubes as a method of birth control, when
done after childbearing, may reduce the chance of ovarian cancer. Removing the
uterus may also reduce the risk. But these surgeries should only be done for a
valid medical reason and not just for their effect on ovarian cancer risk.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Having one or more children plus breast-feeding for a
year or longer may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer. Although these
measures slightly reduce the risk, they don’t offer complete protection.
Doctors do not suggest making these choices about when to have a child simply
for the purpose of reducing ovarian cancer risk. Keep in mind that using the
birth control pill has a greater impact on this risk.
- Diet: A number
of studies have shown a lower rate of this cancer in women who ate a diet high
in vegetables. The American Cancer Society recommends eating a wide variety of
healthful foods, with many from plant sources. Eat at least 5 servings of
fruits and vegetables every day. Limit the amount of red meats, especially
those that are high in fat.
- Birth control pills: Birth control pills reduce the risk of ovarian cancer,
- Aspirin and acetaminophen: Some studies have shown that
both aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol) reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
But there is some doubt about this. Women should not take these drugs simply
to prevent this cancer. More research is needed. - Surgery to remove one or both ovaries is called oophorectomy. It can be done
before a cancer develops in order to lower the risk. But whether or not a woman
should have this surgery is open to question because it causes change of life
(menopause) to take place early. Often, doctors suggest it only for certain
women over the age of 40 who are at very high risk. While this operation lowers
ovarian cancer risk a great deal, cancer can still form in the cells lining the
pelvis where the ovaries were located.
Credit card law could hurt most reliable customers : Home: The Buffalo News
more hopey changey stuff.
The bill, hailed by consumer advocates for tackling the powerful credit card industry, sets limits on sudden interest rate increases, capricious fees and abusive terms in fine print. But some unintended consequences could include higher annual fees and fewer bonus reward programs.
Some fear an end to the interest-free 30-day grace period for those who pay off their balances each month.
George Scherer is exactly the type of customer banks say could be hurt by the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. He has not missed a payment since opening his first credit account in 1969. Every month, he pays the balances on his two credit cards in full.
Credit card companies said the bill will force them to recoup lost profits from model customers like Scherer.
But Edward Yingling, president and chief executive officer of the American Bankers Association, which opposed the legislation, said the new rules will limit the card companies’ ability to price according to risk.
“Less credit will be available generally, which means some consumers and small businesses will not be able to obtain credit cards at all, particularly younger people and start-up small businesses,” Yingling said
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