Tubal ligation reduces the risk of ovarian cancer

The lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is approximately 1.4% in healthy women but much higher for the carriers of BRCA1 mutations (approximately 40%) and for the carriers of BRCA2 mutations (approximately 25%). The use of oral contraceptives reduces this risk in healthy women (OR approximately 0.65) and in carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations but this use can be a double-edged sword in carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations because pills may enhance the risk of breast cancer. No truly effective massscreening policy exists for ovarian cancer in healthy women or BRCA1 and 2 carriers. Therefore a large proportion of women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation will undergo prophylactic oophorectomy after the delivery of the last child. (excerpt)