Hysterectomy with or without unilateral oophorectomy and risk of ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the role of hysterectomy, performed on benign indications, on the risk of developing ovarian cancer.


METHODS
Multicenter case-control study conducted in four Italian areas. Cases were 1031 women with epithelial ovarian cancer. Controls were 2411 women admitted to the same network of hospitals for a wide spectrum of acute non-neoplastic conditions, unrelated to known risk factors for ovarian cancer.


RESULTS
Compared to women with intact uterus and ovaries, the multivariate odds ratios (OR) was 0.6 (95% confidence interval 0.4-0.9) for women who reported hysterectomy. The OR was 0.5 > or =15 years after surgery. The OR was similar for women who had had pelvic surgery before age 45 and for those who had surgery later. No appreciable heterogeneity emerged across strata of parity and family history of ovarian/breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Women who had undergone hysterectomy had a long-term reduced risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.
Chiaffarino
Francesca
F
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milan, Italy.
Parazzini
Fabio
F
Decarli
Adriano
A
Franceschi
Silvia
S
Talamini
Renato
R
Montella
Maurizio
M
La Vecchia
Carlo
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012307:Risk Factors