Night Shift Work May Increase Risk of Ovarian Cancer
A study by researchers from the Fred HutchinsonCancer Research Center in Seattle found that women working the night shift may be at higher risk for ovarian cancer.
The study of 3,322 women was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. NIght shift work was associated with a 24 percent higher risk of advanced ovarian cancer. Researchers suggest that melatonin, a hormone produced at night that regulates reproductive hormones such as estrogen, may be to blame for the increased risk. Sleep deprivation may also be a factor. Because ovarian cancer has a high mortality rate, with vague symptoms, identifying easily modifyable risk factors is important.