Are ovarian tumors generally hereditary?

Ovarian tumors may be related to genetics, environmental factors such as high-cholesterol diet and industrial pollution, endocrine factors, the relationship between ovulation and carcinogenesis, endogenous stimuli and the physiological position of the ovary, gonadotropin stimulation, immune dysfunction, radiation, etc., which cause ovarian epithelial tumors, ovarian germ cell tumors, ovarian sex cord stromal tumors, and ovarian metastatic tumors.

1. Genetic and family factors

Possible genetic factors of human ovarian tumors. It is found that many people with primary tumors in other parts (especially breast cancer) are associated with ovarian cancer. Tumor occurrence has innate factors, which may be due to immune dysfunction. Several families have been reported to have a tendency to develop mesothelioma, breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

2. Nutrition and socioeconomic status

Improved nutrition and socioeconomic conditions are associated with an increased incidence of ovarian cancer. The incidence of ovarian cancer in the first generation of Japanese immigrants to the United States is higher than that of women who have lived in Japan for generations.

3. Environmental factors

The high incidence of ovarian cancer in industrially developed countries may be related to high-cholesterol diet and industrial pollution.

4. Endocrine factors

The average number of pregnancies in ovarian cancer patients is low, and the incidence is higher in non-pregnant women, which shows that pregnancy may protect women from or reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer, because stopping ovulation during pregnancy can reduce ovarian epithelial damage. Ovarian cancer often occurs in women with few pregnancies and non-pregnant women, which also shows this point. Early childbearing, early menopause and the use of oral contraceptives are protective factors for ovarian cancer. The chance of breast cancer and endometrial cancer combined with functional ovarian cancer is twice that of ordinary women, which shows that all three are hormone-dependent tumors.

5. Relationship between ovulation and cancer

Malnutrition can reduce the number of ovulations. In fact, ovulation is an important carcinogenic factor. Periodic ovulation repeatedly causes damage and stimulation to the ovarian mesothelium, and also lacks a persistent physiological recovery period. This can explain why the ovarian mesothelium has a tendency to malignant transformation compared to the peritoneum. Ovulation also produces defects and unevenness on the ovarian surface, which easily forms ovarian mesothelial closed cysts, allowing carcinogenic factors to accumulate and stay there for a long time and attach to the mesothelium.