Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2025

In Vivo and Ex Vivo Approaches to Study Ovarian Cancer Metastatic Colonization of Milky Spot Structures in Peritoneal Adipose
Published on: October 14, 2015
Weight Gain and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers
Shana J Kim1,2, Jan Lubinski3, Tomasz Huzarski3,4
1Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Background:
Weight gain and other anthropometric measures on the risk of ovarian cancer for women with BRCA mutations are not known. We conducted a prospective analysis of weight change since age 18, height, body mass index (BMI) at age 18, and current BMI and the risk of developing ovarian cancer among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.
Methods:
In this prospective cohort study, height, weight, and weight at age 18 were collected at study enrollment. Weight was updated biennially. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ovarian cancer.
Results:
This study followed 4,340 women prospectively. There were 121 incident cases of ovarian cancer. Weight gain of more than 20 kg since age 18 was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer, compared with women who maintained a stable weight (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13-3.54; P = 0.02). Current BMI of 26.5 kg/m2 or greater was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers, compared with those with a BMI less than 20.8 kg/m2 (Q4 vs. Q1 HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.04-4.36; P = 0.04). There were no significant associations between height or BMI at age 18 and risk of ovarian cancer.
Conclusions:
Adult weight gain is a risk factor for ovarian cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
Impact:
These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight throughout adulthood in women at high risk for ovarian cancer.
More Related Videos
08:15gDNA Enrichment by a Transposase-based Technology for NGS Analysis of the Whole Sequence of BRCA1, BRCA2, and 9 Genes Involved in DNA Damage Repair
Published on: October 6, 2014
08:53Identifying the Effects of BRCA1 Mutations on Homologous Recombination using Cells that Express Endogenous Wild-type BRCA1
Published on: February 17, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Oogenesis
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
Obesity
Bulimia Nervosa