In North America, ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecological cancer and is the leading cause of death among women with gynecological cancer. The high mortality is in part due to the difficulty of detecting and diagnosing this condition at an early stage.

In this casecontrol study, Abenhaim and colleagues examined whether the frequency of medical visits and pelvic examinations and the type of health care provider visited had an effect on the risk of ovarian cancer. They found that women who did not have an annual medical visit or pelvic examination and who had no regular health care provider were at an increased risk of ovarian cancer. This risk was most pronounced among postmenopausal women. Although the study could not determine whether women who sought regular health care and had a regular physician were at a decreased risk of ovarian cancer, the most prudent recommendation is that women, especially those who are postmenopausal, should be encouraged to maintain regular health care.