Methods
We performed a comprehensive literature search via PubMed to
identify epidemiologic investigations depicting the association between
RPA and EOC. Keyword searches were conducted utilizing the following
terms and phrases: “physical activity”, “exercise”, “recreational activity”,
or “recreation” with “ovarian cancer”, “ovarian carcinoma”, “ovary”, or
“gynecological cancer”.
To be included in the current review, studies had to assess recreational
or leisure-time exercise or physical activity independently of occupational
activity or household activities associated with daily living. For the pur-
pose of this review, the term “recreational physical activity” encompasses
all physical activity performed during a person's leisure time, including all
types of sport and exercise. Additionally, the epidemiological studies
reviewed herein had to report original measures of association resulting
from multivariate regression models. Thus, studies reporting unadjusted
odds ratios, overlapping data, and/or risk estimates based only upon occu-
pational or household physical activity were excluded from the current
review. Among studies reporting overlapping data, the study with fewer
cases was omitted. Based on these criteria, 26 studies assessing the asso-
ciation between RPA and EOC risk or survival were identified