An international consortium of scientists has identified new genetic variants linked to ovarian cancer risk.

DNA of about 1000 women who had ovarian cancer was analyzed by the researchers and other 13,000 women were analyzed who did not have the disease.

Chromosomes 2, 3, 8, 17 and 19, associated with ovarian cancer risk, were found in regions of the genome.

In women who had serous ovarian cancer, which is also the most common and aggressive form of the disease, four out of five of these variants were more common.

Dr Andrew Berchuck, head of the steering committee of the international Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium, said, "These latest findings raise the possibility that in the future, women in the general population who are at the greatest risk of developing ovarian cancer because they carry these newly discovered DNA variants can be identified and given closer surveillance to look for early signs of ovarian cancer when it is most treatable."

It was also added that these women will now be looked forward by preventive approaches.

It has been established by earlier studies that the risk of ovarian and breast cancer can be greatly increased by mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.