Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers in the United States. High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) histotype accounts for 70% of all the diagnoses. This histotype is the most deadly because it is found in the later stages because symptoms are very general and there are no screening methods. Research has shown that oral contraceptives reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 15%-40%. CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+ TILs) are vital in tumor surveillance. When detected, cytokines are secreted to destroy the tumor. CD8+ TILs have been proven to increase survival time of ovarian cancer patients. Based on this previous research it is hypothesized that women with HGSOC who have previously taken oral contraceptives and have tumors with higher levels of CD8+ TILs, will have longer survival times. From the data analyzed, it was shown that the effects of oral contraceptives do not present significant benefits to survival time until two years from diagnosis. HGSOC patients that have used oral contraceptives had higher levels of CD8+ TILs than women who did not use oral contraceptives. This research contributes to discovering treatments that could promote longer survival times for women diagnosed with HGSOC ovarian cancer.
