Central adiposity as a major risk factor of ovarian cancer.

The identification of risk factors for ovarian cancer is crucial in prevention of the disease. This pathology is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of factors influencing hormonal levels such as body mass index (BMI), BMI at age 20, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), oral contraceptive (OC) use, and risk of ovarian cancer. A case-control study was conducted in women who developed ovarian cancer. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). While no association was found between BMI, BMI at age 20 and risk of ovarian cancer, high WHR increased the risk with ORs of 2.93 and 8.58 (p<10(-6)) for the highest categories (WHR=0.801-0.85 and WHR>0.85) versus the lowest (WHR<0.8). Central adiposity is a key factor in ovarian cancer and suggests the involvement of androgen conversion in adipose tissue.