Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the PLAB Test with interactive quizzes and comprehensive study materials. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and detailed explanations. Start studying today!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is considered the top risk factor for ovarian cancer?

Obesity
Age
Family history
Smoking

The correct answer is: Family history

When assessing the risk factors for ovarian cancer, age stands out as a significant contributor. Ovarian cancer risk increases with advancing age, particularly in women over the age of 50. This trend is largely attributed to hormonal changes during a woman's reproductive years and the cumulative effect of reproductive cycles over time. While family history is indeed an important factor—especially when there is a hereditary link such as mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes—age remains the predominant risk factor. This is because the majority of ovarian cancer cases occur in postmenopausal women. Obesity and smoking may contribute to cancer risk in general but do not have the same weight in relation to ovarian cancer specifically. Therefore, age is recognized as the top risk factor, indicating that awareness of age-related risk is crucial for early detection and management.