Hairdressers, beauticians and accountants could be at higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, a new study has found. Women working in sales, retail, clothing and construction industries may also have a heightened risk, according to research published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Exposure to agents, including talcum powder, ammonia, propellant gases, petrol and bleaches may also have an important role, the findings suggest. But the study authors said that "inferences from the results are limited" and more research is needed to examine the links between ovarian cancer risk and different occupations.
Researchers led by academics at the University of Montreal in Canada examined data on 491 Canadian women with ovarian cancer and compared it with 987 women without the disease.
They found that women who worked as hairdressers, barbers or beauticians appeared to have a three-fold higher risk. Those who worked in accountancy for a decade were twice as likely to develop the disease while construction workers were almost three times as likely, the study authors said.
Meanwhile, shop assistants and sales people had a 45 per cent increased risk and those who make or alter clothes appeared to have an 85 per cent increased risk.
According to the study, the jobs linked to a significantly higher risk of ovarian cancer are:
- Hairdresser
- Barber
- Beautician
- Construction worker
- Accountant
- Clothes maker or embroiderer
- Sales or retail worker
The authors wrote: "We observed associations suggesting that accountancy, hairdressing, sales, sewing and related occupations may be linked to excess risks. Further population-based research is needed to evaluate possible hazards for female workers and occupations commonly held by women."
According to Cancer Research, there are around 7,500 new ovarian cancer cases in the UK every year.
The main symptoms include having a swollen tummy or feeling bloated, pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips, no appetite or feeling full quickly after eating and urgent need to pee or needing to pee more often.
Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include indigestion, constipation or diarrhoea, back pain, feeling tired all the time, losing weight without trying and bleeding from the vagina after the menopause.
Treatment for ovarian cancer will depend on its size and type, its location, on whether it has spread and the patient's general health. The main treatments are surgery and chemotherapy, but other treatments include targeted medicines and hormone treatments.
