Abstract
Family history (FH) of ovarian cancer and breast cancer are well‐established risk factors for ovarian cancer, but few studies have examined this association in African American (AA) and white women by histotype. We assessed first‐ and second‐degree FH of ovarian and breast cancer and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in the Ovarian Cancer in Women of African Ancestry Consortium. Analyses included 1052 AA cases, 2328 AA controls, 2380 white cases and 3982 white controls. Race‐specific odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multilevel logistic regression with adjustment for covariates. Analyses were stratified by histotype (high‐grade serous vs others). First‐degree FH of ovarian cancer was associated with high‐grade serous carcinoma in AA (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.50, 3.59) and white women (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.82, 3.38). First‐degree FH of breast cancer increased risk irrespective of histotype in AAs, but with high‐grade serous carcinoma only in white women. Associations with second‐degree FH of ovarian cancer were observed for overall ovarian cancer in white women and with high‐grade serous carcinoma in both groups. First‐degree FH of ovarian cancer and of breast cancer, and second‐degree FH of ovarian cancer is strongly associated with high‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma in AA and white women. The association of FH of breast cancer with high‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma is similar in white women and AA women, but may differ for other histotypes.
What's new
Family history of breast or ovarian cancer are well known risk factors for ovarian cancer. Here, the authors looked at first‐ and second‐degree family history as it related to risk of epithelial ovarian cancer, stratified by serotype, among white and African American women. Having a first‐degree relative with breast cancer increased the risk in African American women regardless of histotype, but the increased risk was specific to high‐grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) in white women. First‐ or second‐degree history of ovarian cancer was associated with increased risk of high‐grade serous carcinoma in both racial groups, but less strongly associated with non‐HGSC.