PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO, AND OTHER RISK-FACTORS FOR OVARIAN-CANCER - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF OLDER WOMEN

We investigated the association of epithelial ovarian cancer with phys ical activity, waist-to-hip ratio, reproductive factors, and family hi story of cancer in a prospective cohort study of 31,396 postmenopausal women. Ninety-seven women developed incident epithelial ovarian cance r over 7 years. The number of livebirths was associated with lower ris k (multivariate-adjusted relative risks for 1-2, 3-4, and >4 livebirth s compared with nulliparity were 0.64, 0.47, and 0.43, respectively). A family history of ovarian cancer in a first degree relative was asso ciated with a 2.5 times greater risk (95% confidence interval = 0.90-6 .7). Multivariate-adjusted relative risks for the upper three quartile s of waist-to-hip ratio compared with the lowest quartile were 2.0, 1. 6, and 2.3, respectively. Women with ''moderate'' and ''high'' levels of physical activity compared with those with ''low'' physical activit y had relative risks of 1.4 and 2.1, respectively. Positive associatio ns of physical activity and waist to-hip ratio with ovarian cancer see m inconsistent with existing theories of ovarian cancer pathogenesis.