Several risk factors can increase the chance of developing gynecologic cancers. Keep in mind that many people with these risk factors will not develop a gynecologic cancer, and many people without any of these risk factors will.
Risk factors vary by the type of gynecologic cancer, though some risk factors increase risk for several types.
The most common risk factor for cervical cancer is high numbers of sexual partners, which increases the likelihood of exposure to HPV.
The main risk factor for uterine cancer is obesity.
Ovarian cancer risk is increased in some families with a history of breast or ovarian cancer because of inherited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. In addition, women who have not had children, breast fed, or used oral contraceptives are at increased risk.
Additional risk factors include:
- Age. Most cases of gynecologic cancer are found in women who are middle-aged or older.
- Prolonged exposure to estrogen. Some personal choices or biological characteristics that expose your body to estrogen for longer-than-usual periods can increase risk of uterine cancer or ovarian cancer. These include:
- Starting menstruation before age 12
- Taking hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause, especially if the therapy was estrogen alone, rather than estrogen combined with progesterone
- Never having had children (especially if you were unable to have children)
- Diabetes. Women with diabetes have as much as a four-fold increased risk of uterine cancer. Even women who aren’t overweight who have diabetes have an increased risk.
- Diet. Some studies show that eating a diet high in fat can increase risk of uterine cancer.
- Exposure in the womb to diethylstilbestrol (DES). This synthetic estrogen was prescribed to pregnant women until 1971 to relieve with complications of pregnancy. It is now known that offspring of women who took this drug are at increased risk of cervical cancer and vaginal cancer.
- Family history of gynecologic cancer or other cancers. If your mother, sister, or daughter has been diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer, you are at increased risk. Your risk is also increased if you have a family history of other cancers, including breast cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer.
- Having HIV or another condition that weakens the immune system. Such conditions increase the risk of cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, and vaginal cancer.
- Having many sexual partners or having sexual intercourse at a young age. Both of these characteristics increase the risk of cervical cancer as it increases the likelihood of exposure to HPV.
- HPV infection. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) that does not go away increases risk of cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. HPV often does not cause any symptoms and infects at least half of all sexually active people at some point in their lives. Not every woman who gets HPV will develop gynecologic cancer.
- Inherited gene mutations. Women with mutations in certain genes or whose families have genetic syndromes that increase risk of several types of cancer are at increased risk for gynecologic cancers.
- Mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 bring an increased risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
- A syndrome known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome) brings increased risk of cancers the ovary as well as the uterine lining, colon, and stomach.
- Never having been pregnant. Women who have never had a pregnancy are at increased risk of ovarian cancer. Scientists believe that the high number of lifetime ovulations in women who don’t have children is what increases risk. However, taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills) at some point during your life, which reduces your number of lifetime ovulations, may decrease risk of ovarian cancer.
- Personal history of abnormal Pap smears or cervical cancer diagnosis. Women who have had abnormal Pap smears (precancerous conditions) or other cancers have increased risk of gynecologic cancers.
- Poverty. Lack of financial resources decreases the likelihood of screening for early signs of gynecologic cancer.
- Obesity. Obesity is the main risk factor for uterine cancer. This may be because of the increased estrogen produced by excess fatty tissue.
- Race. White women get uterine cancer more often than black women.
- Radiation therapy. Having radiation therapy to the pelvic area to treat a different type of cancer increases the risk of developing cancer in the future.
- Smoking cigarettes. Smoking may weaken the cells of the cervix, vulva, and vagina, making it more likely that abnormal cells will advance to cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, or vaginal cancer.
- Tamoxifen. Taking this drug, often used to prevent breast cancer in women at high risk for breast cancer, slightly increases risk of uterine cancer. Talk to your doctor about whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
Learn more about gynecologic cancer:
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