Caffeine May Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk

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The study findings are published in the March 1 issue of Cancer.

Sherry Salway Black, executive director of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and an ovarian cancer survivor, agreed it's too early to recommend caffeine as a risk-lowering strategy.

Tworoger said her team plans to further study the caffeine-ovarian cancer link.

For now, she advised: "Always talk to your doctor before you make any huge lifestyle changes." And keep the risks in perspective, she added. "Because ovarian cancer is relatively rare, women should talk to their doctor first about the risk of getting ovarian cancer."

Black agreed, adding: "Know the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Know your family history and your risk and talk with your health-care provider." Get advice about what to do, she said, especially if you have a higher-than-average risk.

About 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer were found in the United States in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society, and about 15,280 women died of the disease that year. Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women -- not counting skin cancer -- and it's the fifth-leading cause of cancer death in women.

Symptoms include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, urinary frequency and difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.

In another study published this week, caffeine was found to increase the risk of miscarriage. Kaiser Permanente researchers in California looked at 1,063 pregnant members of the HMO and found those who drank 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day -- about two or more cups of coffee or five 12-ounce sodas -- had twice the miscarriage risk of those who avoided caffeine entirely. Even smaller amounts increased risk, with women drinking less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day showing more than a 40 percent increased risk of miscarriage, compared to those who took in no caffeine.

The study was published online in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

More information

To learn more about ovarian cancer symptoms, visit the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.